Latest Updates

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) participated as a key partner in the recently concluded Third Africa Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) held in Cairo, Egypt. The Forum was organized by the African Development Bank, the Government of Egypt and other partners in Cairo, Egypt between 10th and 12th February 2018 under the theme STI for Private Sector Competitiveness and Economic Transformation in Africa. The Forum... Read More 0

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), a consortium of 85 Universities in 35 African Countries, is pleased to announce the recipients of the ‘Wajao’, a two year post-doctoral programme funded by Carnegie Cooperation of New York. Wajao targets former beneficiaries of regional doctoral training programmes who were funded by Carnegie through RUFORUM. The call for the fellowships attracted 34 applicants from nine African countries among whom the RUFORUM... Read More 0

Regional Academic Exchange for Enhanced Skills in Fragile Ecosystems Management in Africa – REFORM What is the programme about? The EU under its Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme, has provided funding to support training of graduate students in African universities. In this mobility programme six African partner institutions and one EU Technical partner will collaborate in the training of professionals to strengthen fragile ecosystems (FE) management in Africa, which will lead into reduced... Read More 0

The Popular Knowledge Women’s Initiative (P’KWI) a farmer organization located in Eastern Uganda has worked with Research for Development teams from the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES), Makerere University since 1996. The CAES developed a strategic plan that among others emphasised linkages of University-based research teams with communities as part of enhancing outreach engagements. As part of implementation of this Strategic Plan, the P’KWI was identified as a partner at... Read More 0

As part of mobilizing resources to scale out best practice research for development through partnership between research and non-research actors (nongovernmental organizations, private companies and farmer organisations), the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), organized a write-shop to develop proposals to respond to the 2018 Cultivate Africa’s Future – Phase 2 (CultiAF-2). The Write-shop supported by PAEPARD under the capacity building Work Package and the private sector and university... Read More 0

By Gregory Ndwandwa Sikumba, RUFORUM alumnus Email: gregorysikumba@gmail.com I first developed an interest in research for development while studying for a bachelor’s degree in animal science at the University of Namibia. After graduation, I joined the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in Zambia in 2008 as a Tsetse Control Biologist in Copperbelt Province. As a biologist, I realized that I needed to be skilled in research and survey design; data management... Read More 0

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (19 February, 2018) – Over 130 participants from 25 countries met to confirm partners and priorities at the launch meeting of the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes and Dryland Cereals (GLDC). Dr Peter Carberry, Director of GLDC, set the framework from the start, underlining that the Program’s approach is how it can add value to what is already being undertaken. Linking initiatives and building on each other’s strengths... Read More 0

In 2016, The mastercard foundation approved a grant of US$27.1 million to RUFORUM for a period of eight years (2016-2024). This grant supports the training of 220 students; 110 undergraduates and 110 Masters African economically disadvantaged students, giving opportunity to those from post conflict countries such as South Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.  The Programme is currently executed by the RUFORUM Secretariat, together with two early adopter universities;... Read More 0

Moi University is a public University and a RUFORUM member University located in Eldoret, Kenya. The University offers world class training both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. As a result of successful application of World Bank funding during the African Center of Excellence II bidding by Eastern and Southern African states, the University is hosting African Center of Excellence in Phytochemicals, Textile and Renewable Energy, ACEII-PTRE. The Center is, therefore, offering limited... Read More 0

RUFORUM is a network of 85 Universities in 35 African countries with mission to strengthen the capacities of universities to foster innovations for strengthening agri-food systems through the training of high quality researchers, the output of impact oriented research and the maintenance of collaborative working relations among researchers, farmers, national agricultural research institutions and governments. The RUFORUM Sixth African Higher Agricultural Education Week and RUFORUM Biennial Conference, will be held 22 –... Read More 0

What is the program about? The EU under its Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme has provided funding to support training of graduate students in African universities. In this mobility programme, five African partner institutions and one EU technical partner will collaborate in the training of professionals to achieve sustainable crop production that shall lead to increased yield and enhanced food and nutritional security. A total of 24 Masters (6 credit seeking, 18 degreeseeking)... Read More 0

Only 28 percent of women worldwide have careers in science, as reported in the 2015 UNESCO science report. While this has been slowly increasing, it still remains low. One persistent challenge is that high numbers of women drop out of academic research and teaching in the sciences in the early stages of their professional careers. If there were a greater number of female role models and mentors in senior positions, more junior... Read More 0

By Joseph Jabu- TAGDev Administrative Assistant, Egerton University The day was 27th November last year, the TAGDev Egerton Students visited Amiran- Kenya Limited for a field trip. In a bid to extend the benefits of the TAGDev program to other students at the University, the program invited an additional 13 continuing students to join in. The trip provided an opportunity for the students to be exposed to the activities of Amiran Kenya... Read More 0

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) periodically puts out calls for grants and scholarships and invites eligible members from our member universities including researchers and students, people in the academia and members of the public to apply, as a way of supporting research and development, and training a new generation of scientists for Africa. RUFORUM is grateful to all applicants who responded to the respective calls for RUFORUM... Read More 0

By Marius Murongo, Graduate Teaching Assistant Sixty five (65) staff and postgraduate students of Uganda Martyrs University in Uganda completed a five-day training in Scientific Data Management organized by the university’s African Centre of Excellence in Agro Ecology and Livelihood Systems (ACALISE) hosted by the Faculty of Agriculture, in partnership with RUFORUM. The training, which took place from 15th to 19th January 2018, covered topics such as data collection and management using... Read More 0

Each year, Webmometrics, the largest web academic ranking of Higher Education Institutions, does the global ranking twice, based on criteria such as the number of Citations, presence, visibility and Excellence. University ranking continues to remain the common means of informing the public about the relevance and value for investment in Education. In a bid to internationalise the programs in its member universities, while remaining locally relevant, RUFORUM has facilitated the implementation of... Read More 0

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) is pleased to welcome and announce a new Technical Committee. The new committee was officially welcomed during the 12th Technical Committee meeting which took place at the RUFORUM Secretariat offices in Kampala, Uganda from 2nd to 3rd February 2018. At this meeting, Prof. Emmanuel Tanyimbu from the University of Buea, Cameroon was elected as the new Technical Committee Chairperson, replacing Professor Kay... Read More 0

The Africa Center of Excellence in Aquaculture and Fisheries Science at LUANAR (AquaFish ACE), in partnership with RUFORUM, earlier this month welcomed visiting professors from RUFORUM member universities in Nigeria, Tanzania, Sudan and Kenya. The visit was part of the Aquafish Staff Exchange Program aimed at improvingthe quality of postgraduate programmes at LUANAR. The visiting team, who stayed from 8th to 19th January 2018, comprised of Dr. Olajide Philip Sobukola, Dr. Addanna... Read More 0

Emmanuel Afutu, now with a new title added to his name ‘Doctor’, was ecstatic as he and his colleagues joined RUFORUM staff on 16th January 2018 during a lunch get-together organized at the Secretariat to honour the new PhD graduates.  He was among the 13 RUFORUM-sponsored students who were conferred with Doctorates during the 68th Graduation Ceremony of Makerere University in Uganda, under PhD programmes of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology (PBB) and... Read More 0

With increasing pressure from university stakeholders and beneficiaries for universities to demonstrate value for money invested in Higher Education, universities are consistently striving to do their best to visibly show their relevance to the public. University ranking, though controversial, remains the common means of informing the public where they should get the ‘best’ education. To this end, RUFORUM strives to build capacity of its member universities to deliver quality education through cutting... Read More 0