THE WORLD BANK Cultivating Knowledge and Skills Public Disclosure Authorized to Grow African Agriculture A Synthesis of an Institutional, Regional, and International Review Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized REPORT NO. 40997-AFR 00_FS_FM.qxd 12/12/07 4:05 PM Page i Cultivating Knowledge and Skills to Grow African Agriculture A Synthesis of an Institutional, Regional, and International Review THE WORLD BANK AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AFRICA REGION HUMAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 00_FS_FM.qxd 12/12/07 4:05 PM Page ii © 2007 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433 Telephone 202-473-1000 Internet www.worldbank.org/rural E-mail [email protected] All rights reserved. This volume is a product of the staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank. 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Cover photos clockwise from top left: Curt Carnemark, Kenya; Jonathan Agwe, Faculty of Agriculture and Soil Sciences, Dschang University, Cameroon; Men in field, Curt Carnemark, Kenya; Woman in lab with flowers, University of Swaziland Publications Office (appeared on UNISWA’s 2007 calendar); Cattle in a corral, Francois Le Gall, Central African Republic; Two women in a science laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Swaziland Publications Office; Eric Miller, Machava ADPP Teachers Training College, Mozambique. 00_FS_FM.qxd 12/12/07 4:05 PM Page iii Contents ACRONYMS vii FOREWORD ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY xiii 1 The Context for Agricultural Education and Training in Africa 1 Introduction 1 Why Is Agricultural Education Important for Africa? 3 Regional and Bank Strategies 5 Agricultural Innovation Systems and AET 6 Research Objectives, Scope, and Audience 7 2 Agricultural Education Is Vital for African Development 9 Agriculture Development Is Necessary for Overall Growth 9 Strong Agricultural Education and Training Systems Underpin Productivity Increases 10 3 African Agricultural Education and Training in Perspective 13 The Colonial Era 13 Post-Independence 14 Agricultural Education in Africa Today 14 Donor Assistance to African Agriculture Has Declined Sharply 15 iii 00_FS_FM.qxd 12/12/07 4:05 PM Page iv iv Contents Support for Agricultural Education and Training in Africa Has Disappeared 16 Underfinancing of Africa’s Agriculture Sector Appears Poised to Change 19 4 Constraints on Building AET Capacity 21 AET Enrollments Are Distorted and Declining 21 AET Institutions Are Isolated and Fragmented 29 AET Curricula Tend to be Obsolete and Disassociated from the Economy 31 Numerous Countries Face Crises in AET Staffing 32 Teaching Methods and Facilities Are Often Inadequate 34 5 What Guidance Can Global Experience Provide? 37 Mobilize Political Support 37 Public Investment in AET Is Essential 38 Reforms Need Sustained Commitment Over Decades to Produce Returns 38 Integrated Administrative Structures Are Desirable 38 Massive Campaigns to Develop Human Capital Have Worked 39 Incentives Are Necessary to Retain Staff 39 6 Priorities for Modernizing Agricultural Education and Training 41 Generate Political Will to Support Agriculture 41 Bring AET Institutions into the National Agricultural Innovation System by Establishing Better Institutional and Market Linkages 42 Assess and Rebalance AET Enrollment Profiles 46 Reorient Curricula and Modernize Teaching Methods 47 Replenish Human Capital Through Local Postgraduate Programs 51 Manage Finances Proactively 52 Achieve Better Gender Balance in AET Graduates 55 7 Approaches Vary by AET Level 57 AET at the Secondary Level 57 AET at the Tertiary Level 58 AET at the Postgraduate Level 59 00_FS_FM.qxd 12/12/07 4:05 PM Page v Contents v 8 The Time to Act Is Now 65 Toward an AET Strategic Framework 65 The Role of National Political Leaders 67 The Role of AET Institutional Managers 67 The Role of Development Partners 68 Conclusion 68 ANNEXES Annex 1. NARS and AKIS Frameworks in Relation to Agricultural Innovation Systems 71 Annex 2. The Landscape of Agricultural Education and Training Institutions Included in This Study 73 Annex 3. Percentage of Total Employment in Agriculture 77 Annex 4. Summary of Donor Support for Agricultural Education and Training 79 Annex 5. Suggested Actions That Would Help Tertiary Institutions to Recruit, Retain, and Promote Professional Women 83 Annex 6. Distribution of Highly Skilled Human Resources for Agricultural Research and Education Within and Among Countries of Sub-Saharan Africa 85 PRINCIPAL RESEARCH WORKS 87 NOTES 89 REFERENCES 93 Boxes 3.1 World Bank Assistance for Agricultural Education Has Been Minimal 17 4.1 Agricultural Education and Gender Inequities in Ethiopia 25 6.1 Mali Agribusiness Incubator 46 6.2 Creating an Agricultural Education System in Mozambique 46 6.3 Interdisciplinary Food Security Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 49 6.4 Innovations in Teaching at Baraka Agricultural College in Kenya 49 6.5 The Challenge of Changing Organizational Culture 53 7.1 Joint MSc Degree in Rural Development Delivered by University College Cork (Ireland) and Mekelle University (Ethiopia) 62 7.2 Master’s Program in Agricultural Information and Communications Management 64 Figure 1.1 Conceptualization of a National Agricultural Innovation System 2 Charts 3.1 Establishment of Universities with Faculties of Agriculture or Veterinary Sciences in SSA by Decade 14 3.2 Bilateral Assistance for Agriculture, 1980–2003 15 3.3 World Bank Lending for Agriculture in SSA, 1990–2006 15 00_FS_FM.qxd 12/14/07 5:39 PM Page vi vi Contents 3.4 Investments in Research, Extension and AET as a % of ODA for African Agriculture, 1990–2004 16 3.5 ODA to AET, Research and Extension in SSA, 1990–2004 16 3.6 Trend in Agricultural Expenditure as a Percentage of Total Government Expenditure for 14 Countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, 1980–2004 19 4.1 Technical Education Pyramid for 4 Most Competitive Countries and 15 Sub-Saharan Africa Countries 23 4.2 Technical Education Pyramids for Francophone and Anglophone Countries in Africa 24 4.3 Agriculture Enrollments as a % of Total Enrollments by Level, Early 1980s and 1990s 27 4.4 Graduates from Forestry Technician Training (Certificate and Diploma) 1993–2002 27 4.5 Kenya: Agriculture Enrollments in Public Universities as a % of Total BSc, 1996–2004 28 4.6 Forestry Graduates with MSc and PhD, 1997–2002 29 4.7 Ghana: Sources of Financing in Various Tertiary AET Institutions, 2005 (% of Total) 35 7.1 Estimated Total Cost of MSc. Degrees in Agricultural Economics, Various Countries (US$ Thousands) 61 7.2 Estimated Total Cost of PhD Degrees in Agricultural Economics in Various Countries, 2006 62 Tables 3.1 Agricultural Expenditure as a Percentage of Total Government Expenditure, 1980–2004 18 4.1 Percent of Technical Education Enrollments in Total National Enrollments, ISCED Levels 4–6, 2004 or Closest Year 22 6.1 Percentage Distribution of Sokoine University of Agriculture Graduate Employment, 2005 43 6.2 Projected Employment Area Trends for Agricultural Graduates in Tanzania, 2005 44 6.3 Staff-Student Ratio, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences (FASA), University of Dschang, Cameroon 54 8.1 Matrix of Key Actions and Responsibilities 66 A2.1 Types and Dimensions of Secondary Level AET, Selected Countries 74 A2.2 Tertiary AET Institutions Included in Background Study 74 A2.3 Regional Postgraduate Programs in Agriculture 75 00_FS_FM.qxd 12/12/07 4:05 PM Page vii Acronyms ACCI African Center for Crop Improvement (University of KwaZulu-Natal) ACTAEPA African Consortium for Training in Applied Economics and Policy Analysis AERC African Economic Research Consortium AET Agricultural education and training AGORA Access to Global On-line Research for Agriculture AIS Agricultural Innovation System AKIS Agricultural knowledge and information system ANAFE African Network for Agricultural and Forestry Education ATVET Agricultural, Technical Vocational Education and Training (Ethiopia) BASIC Building Africa’s Scientific and Institutional Capacity in Agriculture