On 27th June 2025, all four PhD students under the APCCO project participated in a high-level seminar presentation hosted at Makerere University. The event featured a visiting delegation from the Forestry Department of Mendel University from Czech Republic, and offered a unique opportunity for cross-institutional learning and international research dialogue.

The seminar provided a platform for APCCO students to present their proposed research topics, share insights, and receive constructive feedback from both Makerere faculty and the visiting scholars. Their presentations spanned key themes in agroforestry, climate resilience, sustainable land use, and ecosystem service-based business models—aligning closely with APCCO’s mission to generate research that supports smallholder farmers and green transformation in Uganda.

The presence of the Mendel University delegation elevated the seminar, allowing for deeper reflections on the global relevance of agroforestry research, and opening conversations about potential future collaborations in training, data sharing, and scientific exchange.

The seminar was both a milestone and a motivator for APCCO PhD Fellows. As a mandatory part of their PhD journey, it marked the formal presentation of their research frameworks and the start of more intensive fieldwork and stakeholder engagement.

This timely seminar reinforced APCCO’s commitment to cultivating internationally minded, impact-driven researchers who are equipped to address complex environmental and development challenges through interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches