Renewed focus on Higher Agricultural Education in Africa brings together experts at UMB

Joanna Boddens-Hosang

Since Monday, some 40 participants at a workshop organized by the World Bank have been pondering over the key challenges to strengthening and reforming university-level agricultural education in Africa.

Participants include regional African leadership, academic experts and development partners. UMB pro-rector Prof. Ruth Haug opened the workshop on Monday.

The interest in agricultural programmes in African universities is once again on the agendas of the major international donors. African governments have called for the development of a strategic plan for Tertiary Agricultural Education (TAE) in Africa and mainstreaming it in the so-called Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

Over the past several months, the World Bank together with several donors (incl. Norad, USAID, Finnish Aid and DANIDA) have been exploring areas of collaboration to support African universities. The participants at the UMB-hosted workshop have been addressing priorities for investment, processes and initiatives that need support, and exploring areas of future collaboration.

Aissetou Yaye/ANAFE, Gry Synnevåg/Noragric and Irene Annor-Frempong/FAFA at World Bank workshop at UMB, 3-5 October 2011. Photo: Kai Tilley

Workshop participant Dr Irene Annor-Frempong, Director of the Capacity Strengthening Programme at the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) explains “The way to reducing poverty in Africa is through agriculture. CAADP is supported by all African governments who have agreed to increase public investment in agriculture. This, and international support, is the driving force to getting a better system for implementation in place this time. We have to look at all levels, from farmers to policy makers”.

“It is an honour that the World Bank decided to hold this high-level workshop at UMB”, said Noragric’s Head of Department Gry Synnevåg. “It also acknowledges UMB’s long history of collaboration with academic partners in developing countries, particularly in relation to agriculture and poverty reduction”.

Link to article in Ås Avis (Norwegian) “Verdensbanken besøkte UMB”
Link to article in Norwegian on UMB's Norwegian webpage

Published: 05.10.11
Updated: 06.10.11
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