TAGDev Trains a New Generation of Agleaders

Prof. Nancy W. Mungai

Egerton University, the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), and Gulu University in Uganda are implementing a programme titled “Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa's Growth and Development” (TAGDev). This eight- year (2016–2024) programme is supported by the mastercad Foundation to train the next generation of Agleaders for rural community transformation. The programme focuses on experiential learning, community engagement and entrepreneurship, and supports students who are bright but economically disadvantaged or come from conflict regions in Africa to train them as change agents in agriculture.

The TAGDev programme objectives are to: Pilot a new model of agricultural education at early adopter universities that connects tertiary agricultural education to rural communities, with an emphasis on smallholder farmers; Strengthen agribusiness/entrepreneurship at two universities and selected TVET institutions; and Scale the new model for  agricultural  education to other agricultural  universities  and  TVET institutions; and Increase collaboration and mutual learning among institutions and agencies implementing and influencing innovative tertiary agricultural education for rural transformation in Africa.

The programme aims at providing 220 scholarships to undergraduate and Master's students by the year 2024. So far, at Egerton University, 95 students, drawn from 14 African countries, have benefited from full scholarships. An additional 59 students have benefited from research and tuition fee support. Recruitment of 15 Master's students for the 2021/2022 academic year is in progress. The programme offers comprehensive scholarships to students, mentorship programmes, and trainings to ensure an all-round graduate at the end of the process.

During the 43rd Graduation of Egerton University, 29 TAGDev-supported students graduated both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The programme takes pride in them and congratulates them on their achievement.

Prof. Nancy W. Mungai is the Project Coordinator of TAGDev at Egerton University.