Assoc. Prof. Collins Okello

Dean


Assoc. Prof. Collins Okello is the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment at Gulu University, bringing over 20 years of research, teaching, and administrative leadership. He holds a PhD from the University of Naples Federico II, alongside Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Agricultural Engineering from Makerere University. A prominent voice in university governance, Assoc. Prof. Okello sits on the University Senate and chairs the Budget Desk Committee, contributing to institutional transformation and strategic planning. His academic expertise spans agricultural machinery and renewable energy applications for off-grid communities. An accomplished scholar, he has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, supervised numerous graduate students, and secured substantial competitive grants for the university, leveraging a strong foundation that includes five years of prior private sector engineering experience

Download CV

Qualifications

Institution Period Degree obtained
University of Naples Federico II 2011 – 2014 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Makerere University 2006 – 2011 MSc in Agricultural Engineering
Makerere University 1996 – 2000 Bachelor of Agricultural Engineering
Mvara Secondary School 1994 – 1996 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE)
St. Joseph’s College Layibi 1990 – 1993 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE)

Research Interests

• Bioenergy
• Renewable energy applications in agriculture
• Waste to energy conversion
• Waste management

Publications

Mbazalire, E., Alidri, A., Okello, S., Christine, A., Atube, F., Okello, C., Mogensen, H., & Okumu, C. (2025) . (2025) . Historizing Gender in Household Production and Use of Cooking Fuels in Amuru District, Northern Uganda . East African Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 8(2)
Agatha, A., Atube, F., Okello, S., Aoyo, C., Ringitho, R., Okello, C., & Okumu, C. (2025). . (2025) . Unpacking the Concept “Green Charcoal,” A Cooking Fuel Innovation: The Gulu University Interdisciplinary Experience . East African Journal of Environment and Natural Resources, [online] Volume 8(2). Available at: https://journals.eanso.org/index.php/eajenr/article/view/3424
Denis Thaddeus Ofoyuru, Collins Okello . (2025) . Curricula Transformation in Gulu University; A Response towards Community Needs and Challenges . In: , Transforming Higher Education for Community Development, pp. 68–91
Okello, S., Alidri, A., Mbazalire, E., Aoyo, C., Atube, F., Collins, O., & Okumu, C. N. (2024). . (2024) . Experiences with Green Charcoal: A Gender Consideration of Rural and Urban Households in Gulu District . East African Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 7(1)
Menya, E., Okello, C., Storz, H., Wakatuntu, J., Turyasingura, M., Okot, D. K., ... & Olupot, P. W. (2024) . (2024) . A review of progress on torrefaction, pyrolysis and briquetting of banana plant wastes for biofuels . Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, [online] Volume 15, pp. 13227–13269. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13399-024-06204-x
Bongomin, O., Lamo, J., Guina, J. M., Okello, C., Ocen, G. G., Obura, M., ... & Ojok, S. (2024) . (2024) . UAV image acquisition and processing for high-throughput phenotyping in agricultural research and breeding programs . The Plant Phenome Journal, 7(1)
Anywar, D., Shaban, K. S., Labeja, R. L., Loki, R. O., Beyihayo, G. A., Okello, C., & Haselip, J. (2024) . (2023) . The Search for Sustainability Amid Displacement: Exploring the Potential of Fast-growing Exotic Tree Species as Fuelwood Alternative for Refugees and Host Communities in Northern Uganda . The Journal of Environment & Development, 33(2), pp. 268-285
Kumi, P. G. K., Elolu, S., Odongo, W., Okello, C., & Kalule, S. W. (2023) . (2023) . Where is the market? Assessing the role of dryer performance and marketability of solar-dried products in acceptance of solar dryers amongst smallholder farmers
Decomin Anywar, Kato Stonewall Shaban, Richard Louis Labeja, Robert Okongo Loki . (2022) . Fast-growing exotic tree species as fuelwood alternative for refugees and host communities in Northern Uganda
Solomon Olum, Joshua Wesana, Walter Odongo, Joseph Mogendi, Collins Okello, Dominic Webale, Anselimo Makokha, Duncan Ongeng, Xavier Gellynck, Hans De Steur . (2020) . Agronomic Biofortification from a Stakeholder’s Viewpoint: Evidence from Studies on Iodine-Enriched Foods in Uganda
Solomon Olum 1,2, Xavier Gellynck 1, Collins Okello 3, Dominic Webale 4,5, Walter Odongo 1,4,Duncan Ongeng 2and Hans De Steur 1, . (2018) . Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Agronomic IodineBiofortification: A SWOT-AHP Analysis inNorthern Uganda
Pindozzi, S., Cervelli, E., Capolupo, A., Okello, C., & Boccia, L. (2016) . (2015) . Using historical maps to analyze two hundred years of land cover changes: case study of Sorrento peninsula (south Italy) . Cartography and Geographic Information Science, 43(3), pp. 250-265
Capolupo, A., Pindozzi, S., Okello, C., Fiorentino, N., & Boccia, L. (2015) . (2015) . Photogrammetry for environmental monitoring: The use of drones and hydrological models for detection of soil contaminated by copper . Science of the Total Environment, 514, pp. 298-306
Capolupo, A., Pindozzi, S., Okello, C., & Boccia, L. (2014) . (2014) . Indirect field technology for detecting areas object of illegal spills harmful to human health: application of drones, photogrammetry and hydrological models . Geospatial health, 8(3), pp. S699-S707
Okello, C., Pindozzi, S., Faugno, S., & Boccia, L. (2013) . (2013) . Bioenergy potential of agricultural and forest residues in Uganda . Biomass and bioenergy, 56, pp. 515-525
Faugno, S., Okello, C., Infascelli, R., Audino, F., Ardito, L., & Pindozzi, S. (2013) . (2013) . Experimental tests on a new harvesting system for Burley tobacco . Journal of Agricultural Engineering, 44
Pindozzi, S., Faugno, S., Okello, C., & Boccia, L. (2013) . (2013) . Measurement and prediction of buffalo manure evaporation in the farmyard to improve farm management . Biosystems engineering, 115(2), pp. 117-124
Okello, C., Pindozzi, S., Faugno, S., & Boccia, L. (2013) . (2013) . Development of bioenergy technologies in Uganda: A review of progress . Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 18, pp. 55-63

Projects

Skilling in Agripreneurship for Increased Youth Employment (SAY) project
    Assoc. Prof. Collins Okello - Team Leader
TorrCoal Project
    Assoc. Prof. Collins Okello - Mentor of Postdoc Fellow
Pyrolysis of Sewage Sludge for Bioenergy, Soil Amendment, and Wastewater Treatment (PYROL Project)
    Dr. Jimmy Byakatonda(PI), Dr. Alfred Obia(Co-PI), Dr. Emmanuel Menya(Co-PI), Dr. Collins Okello(Co-PI),
Unlocking the Potential of Green Charcoal to Mitigate Climate Change in Northern Uganda (UPCHAIN)
    Dr. Collins Okello, Dr. Alidri Agatha, Dr. Tabo Geoffrey Olok, Prof. Okumu Charles Nelson, Dr. Alidri Agatha, Prof. Auma Elizabeth Opiyo- Work Package Lead: Capacity Building and Organization
Transforming Energy Access Learning Partnership (TEA-LP) Curriculum Development
    Assoc. Prof. Collins Okello - Principal Investigator
SATIFFS project (Strengthening innovation and technology dissemination for sustainable development in cereals, cocoa and coffee value chains in Western and Eastern Africa)
    Assoc. Prof. Collins Okello - Team member
Mobility to Enhance Training of Engineering Graduates in Africa (METEGA)
    Assoc. Prof. Collins Okello - Team Member
Building Stronger Universities (BSU)
    Prof. Charles N. Okumu, Dr. Agatha Alidri, Dr. Geofrey Tabo, Ms. Judith Awacorach, Assoc. Prof. Komakech Daniel, Assoc. Prof. Collins Okello

Supervision

I have supervised the following postgraduate students to completion:
i) Okoya James (2018). Dissertation Title: On-farm evaluation of the AETREC animal-drawn rice (Oryza Sativa) planter in selected districts of Northern Uganda, Dissertation for MSc in Food Security and Community Nutrition of Gulu University.

ii) Kumi Gabriel Peter Korsuk (2019). Dissertation Title: Determinants of acceptance of solar dryers among okra farmers in Gulu and Omoro Districts, Uganda, Dissertation for MSc in Agri-Enterprises of Gulu University.

iii) Anywar Decimon (2022). Dissertation Title: Comparative analysis of fuelwood properties of selected indigenous and exotic tree species in Lamwo District, Northern Uganda. A Dissertation for MSc in Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management of Gulu University

iv) Kalundu Joel (2023). Dissertation Title: Management options of organic fraction of municipal solid wastes in Gulu City, Uganda. A Dissertation for MSc in Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management of Gulu University

v) Chia Loyed Jr. (2023). Dissertation Title: Assessment of plastic waste management practices in Gulu City. A Dissertation for MSc in Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management of Gulu University

vi) Natandula Sylivia (2024). Dissertation Title: Perception & willingness to pay for domestic biogas systems in Gulu & Kitgum districts. MSc in Agri-Enterprises Development, Gulu University

vii) Okot Christopher (2025). Dissertation Title: Optimizing torrefaction process for biocoal production from banana plant residues. MSc in Biosystems Engineering, Gulu University

Current Master’s Students under my supervision

i) Mr. Oribakiriho John Baptist – MSc in Renewable Energy and Energy Access
ii) Mr. Odong Jacob – MSc in Renewable Energy and Energy Access
iii) Ms Sarah Nasimayo Wafula – MSc in Biosystems Engineering

Current PhD Students under my Supervision
i) Mr. James Okoya, PhD in Agricultural and Applied Biosciences
ii) Ms Atim Pamela – PhD in Science
iii) Mr. Fredrick Amanyire – PhD in Agricultural and Applied Biosciences

More Information

i) 2021 to date – Dean, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment

ii) 2025 to date, Chairperson Budget Desk Committee of Gulu University

iii) 2020 – 2023 – Chairperson Contracts Committee

iv) 2024 to date – Co-Chair Perennial Working Group at Rocco Paco Foundation

v) 2017 – 2020 – Member, Gulu University Contracts Committee

vi) 2017 – 2021 – Head, Department of Biosystems Engineering

vii) 2014 – 2016 – Acting Head of Department of Biosystems Engineering