Facilitating placements of graduate students to build capacity for National Agriculture Research and Extension System: The case of iAGRI in Tanzania
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Date
2016
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
RUFORUM Working Document Series
Abstract
The attainment of sustainable food security in Africa, as elsewhere, requires the efforts of a
cadre of innovative well-trained agriculture specialists who are familiar with the constraints
and perspectives of national priority needs. In light of this, a USAID-sponsored partnership
among six American Land Grant universities, Tanzanian Government, the Regional
Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) and the Global
South universities was established in 2011 to implement Innovative Agricultural Research
Initiative (iAGRI). The focus was to help strengthen human and institutional capacity for
agricultural research for development in Tanzania. As part of the implementation of the
programme, RUFORUM was sub-contracted by the Ohio State University to coordinate
the training of Tanzanians in selected universities in Africa for Master of Science and PhD
Degrees in disciplines identified as priority areas for Tanzania. The iAGRI project training
model involved course work at the host university and research in Tanzania under the
supervision of the academic supervisors from the host university and a local supervisor
from Tanzania, majority being from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA). The
model also included a compulsory student participation in scientific conferences, skills
enhancement short trainings, and travel to Tanzania by university supervisors to check on
students and interact with the Tanzanian supervisors. A total of 31 students (30 MSc and
1 PhD) under RUFORUM coordination were successfully placed in nine Universities in
Eastern and Southern Africa to undertake postgraduate training in 16 selected programmes
of strategic interest to the Tanzania National Agricultural Research and Extension System
(NARES). Of the 31 students placed, 65% have completed their degree programmes and
reported back to their respective institutions in Tanzania and the rest are due to graduate
by end of February 2017. The placements provided a platform for exposure and cross
learning among the participating institutions and graduates have gained relevant skills to
effectively contribute to the development of the agriculture sector in Tanzania. They have
also been linked to close to 2,000 students and graduates across Africa. The implementation
process has demonstrated the need for flexible approaches that not only take into account
the needs of the sending institutions but also those of the host institutions. The additional
skill enhancement trainings, field/industry attachment, regional and international exposure,
and link to the wider community of graduate students and research community enhance
the quality and relevance of training and wider interconnection across Africa. The iAGRI
model presents learning opportunities for similar projects that are linked with academic
mobility.
Description
Keywords
Academic mobility, Higher agricultural education, iAGRI, RUFORUM, Tanzania
Citation
Chindime, M. S., Uwituze, S., Nampala, M. P., Osiru, M., Adipala, E., Makundi, R. H., ... & Melo, A. M. P. (2016). Facilitating placements of graduate students to build capacity for National Agriculture Research and Extension System: The case of iAGRI in Tanzania. In Fifth African Higher Education Week and RUFORUM Biennial Conference 2016," Linking agricultural universities with civil society, the private sector, governments and other stakeholders in support of agricultural development in Africa", Cape Town, South Africa, 17-21 October 2016 (pp. 127-137). RUFORUM.