The funding was secured between April and June 2026 to support projects in agriculture, public health
Dar es Salaam. Two University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) researchers have secured more than Sh3.12 billion to conduct research on climate-related agricultural challenges and neglected tropical diseases.
The funding was secured between April and June 2026 and will support projects in agriculture and public health.
The projects are led by Dr Lilian Mulamula of the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE) and Dr Bernard Ngowi of the Mbeya College of Health and Allied Sciences (MCHAS).
Dr Mulamula received Sh351.82 million from the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), while Dr Ngowi secured Sh2.77 billion from the European Union (EU).
According to UDSM, Dr Mulamula’s project will examine how changing weather patterns affect maize production in semi-arid and highland areas and assess farming practices and technologies that could help farmers adapt.
The research will also assess farmers’ readiness to adopt available climate-smart technologies.
“We want to move beyond identifying the challenges and provide practical solutions that farmers can use,” Dr Mulamula said.
She said the research team would work with farmers and other stakeholders to test the technologies and identify those suitable for improving maize production.
Dr Ngowi’s project will focus on controlling Taenia solium, cysticercosis and taeniasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis.
The Sh2.77 billion EU-funded research will assess how different interventions can be combined to control the diseases and generate evidence to support disease-control programmes.
“Our focus is to develop an integrated and practical approach that can improve the control of these diseases while generating evidence on safety, effectiveness and implementation,” Dr Ngowi said.
He said the findings could inform policies and strengthen Tanzania’s programmes for controlling neglected tropical diseases.
UDSM Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Prof Nelson Boniface, welcomed the funding, saying research had an important role in addressing challenges facing society. He urged the researchers to translate their findings into practical solutions for communities.
The projects are expected to generate evidence on climate adaptation in maize farming and approaches to controlling neglected tropical diseases.
