From Research Lab to Farmers: AdEMNEA Takes Smart Agriculture Innovations to the National Stage.

At the 2026 Jinja Agricultural Show, AdEMNEA Project and IoT-ra Lab took a significant step in moving locally developed research innovations from the laboratory into the hands of potential users.

Hosted at the Makerere University exhibition stall, the project showcased a range of IoT-powered technologies designed to address real-world challenges in agriculture such as; the Smart Bee Monitor and Bee-Sight.

Fig 1; Project Intern, Benita Akakikunda receives a couple of Bee Farmers at the AdEMNEA Project Exbihition Stall.

The exhibition provided an important bridge between research and real-world application -  farmers, agricultural professionals and other visitors had an opportunity to interact with the technologies, ask questions and explore how such innovations could be applied to challenges they encounter in their own work.

For the AdEMNEA team, these engagements went beyond visibility. Direct interaction with potential users generated valuable feedback on the relevance, usability and future development of the technologies, while also opening conversations around potential partnerships, adoption and scale-up.

Fig 2; Prospective Bee Farmers observe several sensors mounted onto the Smart-Bee Hive closely.

The Jinja Agricultural Show therefore represented more than a platform to display research and demonstrated how investment in university-based research can help move locally developed technologies from research environments toward practical applications in agriculture and environmental management.

For AdEMNEA and its partners, including Norad under the NORHED II programme, the experience underscores the value of connecting research, innovation and users to ensure that technologies developed through academic investment have a pathway towards meaningful real-world impact.