Diagnosis of Postgraduate Training Needs in Agriculture and Food via Open and Distance Learning (PG-ODL) in Eastern and Southern Africa

Abstract

Agriculture, including livestock, forestry and fisheries continue to be the foundation for development, hunger eradication, and poverty reduction for many countries in the developing world. Therefore, strengthening the capacity for agricultural research and analysis for improved policies, technologies, and institutions to achieve agricultural growth, food security, and sustainable natural resource management is essential. Currently, there is a growing Knowledge Economy Digital (KED) Divide between developed and developing countries. However, in both developed and developing countries, the contemporary Open and Distance Learning (ODL) models show that there is value for ODL as an efficient, cost and time effective learning mode that could if globally expanded help bridge the ‘KED’ gap. For the less developed countries (LDC), ODL could strengthen capacity and support economic development by leveraging the power of information and communication technology (ICT) in provision of high-quality world-class education to a larger number of people. Among the anticipated deliverables is the incentive for students and professionals to obtain degrees in agriculture, food, and natural resources without leaving their jobs or home countries. The Consultative Group for International Agriculture Research (CGIAR), with its human and physical assets, has a tremendous opportunity to establish a Global Open Food and Agriculture University that would effectively train students and professionals from developing countries via ODL. The most strategic entry point in this undertaking is to initiate programs at a postgraduate (PG) level, in particular, the Masters of Science (M.Sc.) degree. It is important to work at the M.Sc level because the M.Sc. capacity in East and Southern Africa still remains very low in proportion to the number of students who matriculate from the undergraduate level. Also, the current pool of M.Sc. graduates is insufficient for large doctoral (Ph.D.) programs. As a mitigation measure (especially in the areas of farming, hunger, poverty, and natural resources), ODL offers opportunities for increasing the capacity of LDC postgraduates. However, many traditional LDC universities do not offer such programs. A Global Open Food and Agriculture University would be a way to address the LDC postgraduate capacity constraint