Capacity Building

RUFORUM has been a helping hand in rebuilding the University of Rwanda on agricultural developments and promoting Masters and PhD programs after the outbreak of the genocide. Leonidas Dusengemungu a Rwandan national was funded by RUFORUM for his Master’s studies at Makerere University. RUFORUM has also supported his Livestock IP innovation platform projects in Rwanda, hence transforming African communities.

The video features RUFORUM funded Robert Kawuki working together with the national crop research institute in developing soybean and cassava varieties, working with the farmers to ensure the address farmer needs. The story also highlights the importance of building capacity for African research institutions.

Sorghum is a crop that is plagued by the striga weed. Charles is a RUFORUM grantee who is working together with the farmers to develop high-yielding, striga-tolerant varieties. There is mutual learning between the farmers and the student.

The video features a RUFORUM grantee called Bento Filipe Francisco, a junior researcher from the Instituto de Investigacao Agraria de Mocambique (IIAM) in Mozambique. He has been funded and supported by RUFORUM to carry out his agricultural research on tomatoes.

The video features a RUFORUM grantee called Msekiwa Matsimbe, a researcher with the Nepad Regional Fish Node at LUANAR in Malawi. Msekiwa worked closely with rural communities to develop fish farming groups and to enhance farm aquaculture.

The video features Dr. Abigael Otinga, a soil scientist from University of Eldoret telling her academic story right from primary school. She narrates the desire and dreams she once had and how she became a RUFORUM grantee. She is now a well-trained science leader for Africa.

The importance of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) as source of food and income generation in Mozambique is threatened by proliferation of a viral disease called Tomato Curly Stunt virus (ToCSV) which causes yield losses of up to 100 % negatively impacting on crop productivity and the communities’ livelihood.

RUFORUM and universities working closely with small farmers along the entire banana value chain to improve income and strengthen farmer institutions.

Alma Muropa, an M.Sc grantee studying in Kenya, demonstrates the impact of RUFORUM regional programmes with her research exploring options to assess the uptake of Conservation Agriculture in Domboshawa Zimbabwe.

In Kenya, an innovating Vice-Chancellor revives the local cotton industry, supports innovative natural dye and design and leads his university towards sustainability.

Proactive and closely mentored farm attachment programmes have the potential to help farmers innovate and at the same time develop student skills and social commitment. This example particularly focuses on assisting women farmers with innovations.

The Project has enabled Farmer Associations to develop their business plans, initiate contract farming, produce striga tolerant seed maize, increased sorghum and soya production, improved management and built the capacity of the Farming Associations to undertake value addition

Cross-bred goats show their potential to contribute to milk supplies in Botswana and to utilise the natural bushveld pastures.

Addressing the challenge of short day length and disease, this RUFORUM grantee worked closely with farmers to develop export quality runner bean lines suitable for cultivation under tropical conditions. These efforts were then extended in projects to add value and market the beans.