Dr. Margaret Maoni and Associate Professor Victoria Ndolo visited Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) from February 18 to March 4, 2024, as part of the ACE-II-funded project under the Centre for Resilient Agri-food Systems (CRAFS) project. This visit was one of several funded learning and exchange trips under the CRAFS. The opportunity was sparked by a presentation from Dr. Cassim Tolo, the Center Leader of the Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Incubation Center (PHARMBIOTRAC), which he gave at the CRAFS stakeholders' meeting in Mangochi, Malawi, in December 2023.

The primary aim of the visit was to gain practical insights into PHARMBIOTRAC's product formulation and development processes within their incubation and innovation hub. During their stay, Dr. Maoni and Professor Ndolo engaged in various hands-on activities, including a tour of the herbal garden and the formulation and production of tablets, capsules, and syrups derived from Artemisia extract for malaria treatment. They also created a topical application jelly using ghee. Following these activities, they performed quality control checks, evaluating quality parameters with various analytical equipment. 

The herbal garden at PHARMBIOTRAC plays a central role in their research activities.It features a diverse collection of medicinal plants and herbs from various regions, which are being studied for their biological activities, such as antimicrobial, antimalarial, and antiviral properties. These plants are also used as raw materials for developing various herbal products.