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In times of crisis, the best of us often shines through. In the midst of this pandemic, we see health professionals caring for the sick at great personal risk; young people mobilizing volunteers through apps to deliver food and supplies; and manufacturers redirecting production capacity to make urgently-needed health care supplies. The acts of solidarity we are witnessing in the face of this unprecedented … Read More In this together: Stepping up to meet a global challenge-Mastercard Foundation CEO’s Message on COVID-19

Kumi Peter Korsuk was one of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars supported through RUFORUM who graduated this year on 11th January with Msc in Agri-enterprises Development at Gulu University, one of the TAGDev implementing Universities. As a way of supporting some of the graduates to advance their research findings by interacting with communities, RUFORUM provided a financial award known as  The Field Attachment Program Award … Read More Promoting solar drying technology to reduce post-harvest losses among vegetable and fruit farmers in northern Uganda and West Nile regions

In 2017, I was among the first cohort beneficiaries of the Mastercard Foundation at RUFORUM Scholarship programme. During the nearly one month orientation training at Egerton University, we were tasked to develop personal purpose statements and “Creation of market linkages” was my personal purpose statement. I focused on this because growing up in a peasant’s household and in my rural communities, farmers complain of … Read More My community mobilization skills helped me create market linkages for increased Smallholder Pig Incomes in Northern Uganda

When we talk of the phrase “from theory to practice”, these guys have it all. A group of highly esteemed Mastercard Foundation at RUFORUM sponsored students pursuing Masters of Science in Agri-Enterprises Development at Gulu University has proven beyond reasonable doubt that opportunity resonates where there is distress. Muteti Francisca Ndinda (Kenya), Mainimo Edmond Nyuyki (Cameroon) and Mpofu Taddias Prince (Zimbabwe) are the co-founders … Read More Walking the talk; Student’s loan helped us scale from an idea to a sustainable Agribusiness in Gulu

The Office of the RUFORUM Executive Secretary and on behalf of RUFORUM Secretariat wishes our readers, families and communities good health and wellbeing. The Coronavirus pandemic (COVID 19) has undermined many activities from which many people derive livelihoods and it has limited access to most of essential services. We continue to pray to God that this situation ends soon. In the meantime, we encourage … Read More To our Readers, Families and Communities

My name is Oforiwaah Kukuwaa Smith, a Food and Postharvest technology student under the RUFORUM CARP+ project and Chief processor at “Fruition Crushed”. Fruition Crushed is an Agro-processing company providing fresh fruit juice, dried chips and fruit leather to the Ghanaian market. In October 2018 I attended the RUFORUM higher education conference in Nairobi, and one of the things that caught my attention during … Read More RUFORUM Young Innovators wards inspired me to start my company ‘Fruition Crushed’

My name is Elijah Mwangi, I have a background in Animal health undertaking MSc in Animal Nutrition and Feeds Sciences. After completing the mandatory course work for the degree at the University of Nairobi, I got lucky as one of the third cohorts for the RUFORUM funded CARP+ program under stewardship of Professor Mwang’ombe. My clear cut-out role was to look into the use … Read More Cassava offers under exploited alternative livestock feeds to farmers in Kilifi and Taita Taveta Counties, Kenya

Being raised in the Kenyan coast, cassava roots is amongst a familiar food that I had interacted with as breakfast, lunch and supper in most cases. Cassava production practices are less since now that I used to be sent by my mother to source them at Bomani (Likoni) or Kongowea market. The memorable part for me with cassava is during its peeling because I … Read More Learning with and from smallholder cassava farmers of Kilifi and Taita Taveta counties, Kenya

Kasima Junior Senyonga, is the Research Assistant for the CARP+1 Pig value chain, and a second year student offering Msc. Animal production and marketing at Gulu University. He graduated in January 2018 with a first class in Bachelor of Agriculture at the same University, before joining the CARP+1. He shares his journey so far. How I joined CARP+1_ Pig value chain Shortly after graduation, … Read More “Go and serve the community” is my mantra as I give back after education

Olivier Nihimbazwe grew up in rural north-western part of Burundi (Mabayi). Growing in a big sized family (12 children) under the care of a single mother. Luckily, this mother had much interest in education hence she always encouraged him and his siblings to study hard and perform well in class.  He shares his story of how the mastercard scholarship that he got through RUFROUM … Read More The origin or language of a student should not hinder access to higher education: Uniqueness of MCF-RUFORUM scholarship

The first two months of the Field Attachment Program Award (FAPA) was a unique opportunity that provided me with the opportunity to disseminate my research output with the aim of promoting packed milk product consumption for good health in Northern Uganda. The field activities started in November 2019 and lasted for a period of four months until February 2020. In this period, I had … Read More Laying Foundation for Strengthening Delivery of Quality Packed Milk in Northern Uganda

Akuku James is from Adjumani district of the west Nile region of Uganda, a fourth born in a family of six children and the only graduate in his family,  Akuku holds a bachelor of science in Agriculture from Makerere University where he graduated with a first class honors in 2019. Now a beneficiary of the mastercard foundation scholarship through RUFORUM and forming part of … Read More Research was my calling, mastercard foundation is helping me achieve it

It was a Saturday, a non-class day for many and students were requested, on an optional basis, to attend a training on Communications and writing which was organised by RUFORUM. As organizers, we expected to train, at most, 40 students. We were pleasantly surprised when the number that showed up doubled our expectations. Mr. Samuel Elolu, a Lecturer at the University who mobilized the … Read More RUFORUM trains Mastercard Scholars at Gulu University on Communication and Writing

Kampala – 3 March 2020. The 16th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) will be held at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Marrakech and Ben Guerir, Morocco from 18th to 20th November 2020. UM6P is an institution set up by OCP in the municipality of Ben Guerir, the heart of the Green City, with … Read More RUFORUM 16th Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Morocco

As Dr. Eric completed his PhD, he needed a platform to begin his career as scientist. Most early career scientists have to travel abroad to hold a PhD position. Through the Carnegie supported Postdoctoral Fellowship, RUFORUM gave him the opportunity to begin research in his home institution and more importantly to build a research team and develop skills in supervision of graduate students. Wanting … Read More The Post Doctoral Fellowship supported by Carnegie kick-started my career as a Scientist

Dr. Ir. Symphorien Agbahoungba – is a Beninese and holds a PhD in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology from Makerere University, Uganda. He holds a MSc. in Natural Resources and Biodiversity Management, an Engineer Agronomist Diploma and a BSc. in Agricultural Sciences in the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences of the University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin. Symphorien has been working with the Laboratory of Applied Ecology for … Read More Dr Symphorien Agbahoungba’s Post-Doctoral fellowship experience under RUFORUM and what it means for his career and Country Benin

I am a beneficiary of the Carnegie postdoctoral fellowship awarded to support my research focusing on grain legumes and dryland cereals. Training of young scientists towards masters and doctor of philosophy (PhD) degrees was embedded within the fellowship. Collaborative networking to exploit research potential by leveraging on available resources across institutions was adopted, whereby a multi-institutional framework to cater for regional and or international … Read More Generation of Future Science Leaders through Mentorship and Research: Experience under the Carnegie Post-Doctoral Fellowship

In this storyline, I am glad to share with you my experience and lessons learnt during the post-doctoral fellowship that started since 2018. The two-years journey has been an interesting one for me as the upcoming young scholar in Sub-Saharan region. Before I tell you a full story about the post-doc fellowship, let me first tell you about myself in details such that you … Read More Dr. Gabriel Karubanga a post-Doctoral Fellow shares his engagement at Makerere University

Kidega Kenneth was one of the 1,513 students who graduated at Gulu University on 11th January 2020. He satisfied the requirement for the award of the degree of Masters of Science of Food Security and Community nutrition of Gulu University. As part of the support to the Mastercard Scholars at Masters level, RUFORUM gives a four months Field Attachment Programme Award (FAPA) to selected … Read More Former RUFORUM mastercard foundation scholar at Gulu University enhances community knowledge and uptake of Indigenous Micro-organisms (IMO) technology in Kitgum district, northern Uganda.

Robine Okello is a recent graduated with a Masters Degree in Agri-Enterprises Development at the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Gulu University, Uganda. whose study was fully sponsored by the RUFORUM under the Nurturing Grant Project (NGP) with support from the Mastercard Foundation.  He is a Ugandan and shares his Journey through the program.   At the end of my second year, I applied … Read More Internship Training at Refugee Settlements opened doors for my professional development with the African Union