Barbara Mugwanya Zawedde

Barbara Mugwanya Zawedde is a researcher and policy expert at the Uganda National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), where she serves as Director of Research at the Mukono Research Institute. She also chairs NARO’s Institutional Biosafety Committee and leads biodiversity conservation initiatives. With a PhD in Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology (specialization in Environmental Science and Policy) from Michigan State University, USA, she has extensive experience in biosafety governance and science communication.

Her research interests focus on:

• Biosafety regulations
• Biotechnology policy
• Bioethics and governance
• Knowledge management for agricultural innovation
• Stakeholder engagement in biosciences

Barbara previously coordinated the Uganda Biosciences Information Center (UBIC) for seven years and worked as a Programme Officer at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Kampala.