THE REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES FORUM FOR CAPACITY BUILDING IN AGRICULTURE (RUFORUM) Platform for Mobilising African Universities for Development Relevance Prof. Emmanuel Kaunda Bunda College of Agriculture

World’s Youngest People Global Median Age in 2010

3 TAE Challenges in Africa TAE in Sub-Saharan Africa faces five main challenges: – Demand increasingly exceeds capacity- improved primary, secondary education programmes; – Quality Issues: lack of resources, human capacity – proliferation of TAE institutions; burgeoning private programmes – Inequity: gender, socio-economic – Missing linkages with labor markets- growing private and civil society sectors; – Mis-match with development needs- skills mix – Inadequate incentive structure, lack of financing

RUFORUM founded by African Vice Chancellors to: Foster integration of African Universities into the national agricultural innovation systems; Provide a platform for training quality graduates to support development processes in Africa, especially CAADP; Rationalize resource use and enhance economies of scale and scope; and, Provide a platform for networking, resource mobilization and advocacy for TAE in Africa

Where we operate African owned; aligned to regional and national frameworks (AU, NEPAD, CAADP etc) Mandate from COMESA to oversee graduate training and networks of specialization

RUFORUM’S Theory of Change RUFORUM Impact statement: High performing African Universities that strive to produce quality graduates, demand driven research output and innovation in response to regional and national agricultural development priorities RUFORUM Network Outcomes: Strengthened African professionals that generate knowledge and train the next generation of agriculture scientists Increased participation of women in agricultural research and training Strengthened African institutions that generate and increase access to agricultural technologies, information, strategies and practices RUFORUM becomes a regional reference point for higher agricultural education and agricultural development knowledge Secretariat Outputs: Implementation of appropriate research processes facilitated Establishment and management of regional training programs catalysed Staff and students imparted with relevant skills and competencies Functioning of the RUFORUM Network facilitated Preconditions within the Secretariat: ICT harnessed for improved performance at the Secretariat and Universities Strengthened M&E with effective culture of learning Effective and efficient management and governance systems Sphere of interest Sphere of influence Sphere of control

RUFORUM’s Business Principles RUFORUM’s strategy is built on the principles of: 1.Grounding agricultural research in the hands of a well-informed critical mass of locally based professionals 2.Quality postgraduate training 3.Relevance of research, training and related services responsive to farmer needs and innovation opportunities 4.Leverage as a network across 17 countries and 29 universities for collective action 5.Affordability of joint university programmes building economies of scale 6.Retention of capacity through farmer and employer demand 7.Financial Sustainability through recovery of all direct and indirect costs for staff and operations, while building a Capital Reserve Fund reflective of clients evolving needs

RUFORUM Model The type of FORUM that engages all relevant stakeholders: – The farmers engaging with faculty and students – Government agencies, NGOs, the private sector and other development agencies engaged in research and interacting closely with universities on policy and curricula – MSc & PhD graduates with the right experience – Universities that act collaboratively to share ideas and resources – Unique participation by university Vice Chancellors who pay their own costs of participation in board meetings.

Students, university staff, agricultural professionals Individual universities RUFORUM Network RUFORUM Agricultural and higher educational environment Including policy, institutions, infrastructure, human and natural resources, geographic location The consortium of universities, its governance organs, the Secretariat and national fora RUFORUM’s stakeholders including farmers and their communities, farmer associations, NARES, NGOs, rural finance, IARCs etc The universities that make up RUFORUM The individuals that RUFORUM directly engages with RUFORUM Stakeholders

RUFORUM Strategic Goals 1.Capacity building (MSc, PhD, Post-doctoral & short courses) 2.Rationalized resource use for training & research 3.Innovative structures for training, research and outreach 4.Impact-oriented research in universities 5.Increase in the participation and voice of women in agricultural research, production and marketing 6.Increase the use of technology to support effective, decentralized learning and the sharing of knowledge 7.Advocacy, coordination & resource mobilization

RUFORUM Governance Structure RUFORUM Board of Directors International Advisory Panel SecretariatTechnical Committee National Forums Deans Committee Regional Thematic Groups AGM

How we operate Regional programmes for building capacity for capacity building - PhDs Competitive grants for enhancing rural innovation- GRG/ CARP/ FAPA Institutional/ nurturing grants Collective resource mobilisation at Regional level Support individual/ groups of universities Networking

Strategic Partnerships Rely on existing extensive network that brings together over 15,000 faculty and non-academic experts Continue to build strategic alliances with key partners (AGRINATURA, SUPAGRO, ICRA, WUR, KIT, AU, NEPAD, AGRA, FARA, AAU, RECs, COMESA, EAC, IGADD, CORAF, ASARECA, EU, SADC, ANAFE, IUCEA, CGIAR, APLU, AIAU, CTA, IFS, etc) Partnerships and Linkages with research institutions critical for improving quality of training Significant Support from the EU partners

End-User Driven Collaborative Agricultural Research for Food & Nutrition Security Community Action Research Projects (CARPs) - $300,000 Grant Value  Purpose is to demonstrate innovative approaches that strengthen engagement between universities, farmers, communities and development agencies on problems with relevance;  Designed to encourage universities to develop partnerships and invest in sustained action research over time within a particular community or in a selected commodity along the full value chain;  Focus on linking action research lessons & experiential learning into curriculum and enhancing relevant of graduate training to development challenges.

RUFORUM TC in Dowa, Malawi

Looking Forward- RUFORUM & CORAF & ANAFE 1.Joint initiatives with Universities in West Africa – Mobility and exchange of staff and students – Joint research and lesson sharing (best practices) 2.RUFORUM Regional Training programmes respond to CAADP needs 3.Advocacy for African tertiary higher education (ANAFE and other Networks) 4.Increased linkages and collaboration between universities and research institutions in CORAF region – RUFORUM scoping for move to West Africa