Reforming Curricula for Agribusiness Education and Training in Africa: ANAFE focus for the coming years

Outline of Presentation

• Problems in SSA Tertiary Agricultural Education• ANAFE—African Network for Agriculture,

Agroforestry and Natural Resources Education• SASACID—Strengthening Africa Strategic

Agricultural Capacity for Impact on Development• UniBRAIN—Universities, Business and Research

in Agricultural Innovation• Contributions to Capacity Building into the Future

Problems in SSA Tertiary Agricultural Education

• Students– Quality and choice

• Curriculum Content and Delivery challenges• Lecturers trained in different environments• Limited experiential learning• Learning Facilities inadequate• Institutional Management problems

ANAFE Member Countries in 2014 (in

dark green)

Membership

Created in 1993 by 29 TAE institutions with the assistance of the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

Currently in 2014 the network is made up of 136 Agricultural Colleges and Universities in 35 African countries

5

Past and Present ANAFE ActivitiesPast and Present ANAFE Activities

Increased Capacity in INRM and Agroforestry

Network Management: Board, CU, RAFTs, NAFTs

TrainingMaterialsdevelopment

CurriculumReview &Development

TrainingOfTrainers

Post-GradSupport

PracticalFacilities

StaffExchange

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Advocacy: ANAFE, ICRAF, NARS, Partners

R&D

Background to SASACID• The overall Tertiary Agricultural Education learning objectives for the

programmes are poorly articulated and they often do not explicitly refer to community and industrial development. This shows a context deficit which ANAFE has pointed out and tried to address.

• Due partly to limited resources and also to inadequate training of educators, the tools, methods and quality of teaching and learning are weak, especially with respect to practicum

• There is a poor understanding of the integrative nature of land use disciplines, particularly regarding the links between farming and nature conservation

• The business and industrial development aspects are not well articulated particularly in academic research. Teaching tends to reinforce production and subsistence…

SASACID Project activities and expected outputs

No Project Expected Output

1 Refocusing agricultural learning objectives and improved curricula

Refocused agricultural education objectives and improved curricula

2 Establishing the capacity of agricultural scientists in learning material development

High quality and locally contextualised agricultural learning resources

3 Building capacity for innovation systems approach

Synergy and institutional links in agricultural policy, research, education, industry and practice

4 Strengthening capacity for agribusiness education and training

Graduates with knowledge and skills in agricultural business enterprising

5 Managing risk and uncertainty Resilience: Increased capacity on managing risks and uncertainty in agriculture

6 Strengthening methods of teaching and learning

Teaching and learning methods and tools and sharing of agricultural information enhanced

Implementation Strategy

What SASACID has achieved: Self-assessments

Item Evaluation

Governance and Management 2.1

Infrastructure 2

Finances 2

Teaching and Learning 2.25

Assessment 2.67

Research, Publications and Innovation 1.125

Community/Societal Engagement 2

Programme Planning and management 2

Curriculum development 2.85

Programme and Results 2

What SASACID has achieved: Linking Education with Research

Region Number of Students Offered Scholarships

Southern Africa 24East and Central Africa

30

Africa Humid Tropics 30Sahel 45

What SASACID has achieved: Learning materials development in Agribusiness

• Agribusiness Chapters– Setting up an agribusiness in Africa – initial

considerations– Agribusiness – case studies of products and

services– Post-harvest management and processing

strategies– Agribusiness marketing– Cross-cutting and emerging issues in agribusiness

What SASACID has achieved: Learning materials development in Management of Risk and Uncertainty

• Risk and Uncertainty– Management of risk in natural resources– Agricultural practices for managing risks– Food and environmental safety in agricultural risk

management – Managing risk associated with climate change for

increased resilience– Management of risks associated with the use of

agricultural inputs– Post harvest management and risks– Policy formulation for managing risks in agriculture

Key Elements of UniBRAIN

Access to experience in

establishing agri-innovation camps More efficient and

effective innovation in

African Agriculture

Access to incremental levels

of high level human and institutional

capacity

Opportunities for hands-on

experience in innovation

Access to experience in

changing curricula and improving teaching and

learning resources

What we have achieved in UniBRAIN: Agribusiness Curricula

• Post- graduate Certificate: Agribusiness entrepreneur and practical adviser: primary producers + basic value addition expertise with basic intellectual, vocational and entrepreneurial skills.

• Post- graduate Diploma : The same for the Post – graduate Certificate + Expert- Advisers with advanced value chain expertise with more intellectual + managerial skills

• BSc: The same for the Post – graduate Diploma + Expert-Advisers +Agribusiness Corporate / Cooperative jobs creators + more intellectual and managerial skills and capacity to pursue post-graduate degrees in agribusiness.

• MSc. The same for the BSc. + jobs as Mid-Scientist and expert professional in Agribusiness with more intellectual and managerial skills (advancing Research-Development in Agribusiness)

• PhD: The same for the MSc. + jobs as Full-Scientist and Expert Professional Leader in Agribusiness with superior intellectual and managerial skills ( advancing Training & Education in agribusiness)

Need for Partnership

• Specific agribusiness courses• South-South and North-South partnerships• Training of trainers• Development of learning materials• Joint supervision of students• Stronger private sector participation in

curriculum development and delivery• Joint research

http://www.anafeafrica.org