ISSN 2415-2838 (Online) AF RD African JournalJ of Rural Development African Journal of Rural Development Editorial Secretariat Makerere university, Main Campus Kampala, Uganda Email:[email protected] Tel:+256417713300 Web address:www.afjrd.org ISSN 2415-2838 www.afjrd.org African Journal of Rural Development (AFJRD) Vol 5 Issue 1 2020 Table of Contents About the Journal http://afjrd.org/jos/index.php/afjrd/about Editorial: Higher Education and Science, Technology and Innovation i landscape in Africa Muir-Leresche, K. The changing face of agricultural education and extension within a changing 1 policy context in Africa Lynam, J. K. and Mukhwana, E. J. Building a critical mass of faculty to enhance Africa’s diversity and competitiveness: 21 opportunities and needed actions Gbakima, A. and Nakayiwa, F.M. Genesis, evolution and strategic thrusts of RUFORUM 39 Waswa, M., Okori, P., Mweetwa, A. and Adipala, E. Gendered assessment of Science, Technology and Innovation ecosystem: Case 63 study of Agricultural Research and Training Institutions in Mali Sokona, S. D. A gender-based assessment of Science, Technology and Innovation ecosystem in 79 Mozambique Givá, N. and Santos, L. Gender-based assessment of Science, Technology and Innovations ecosystem in 97 Sudan Muna Mohamed Elhag and Mutasim Ahmed Abdelmawla Higher Education and Scientific Research in Sudan: Current status and future 115 direction Beshir, M. M., Ahmed, N. E. and Mohamed, M. E. Role of Higher Education and Science, Technology and Innovation in capacity 147 development in Ghana Sam-Amoah, L. K., Agyei Frimpong, K. and Kumi, F. Assessment of current status of Technical and Higher education sector in Liberia 167 Zinnah, M. M. and Jackollie, M. S. African Journal of Rural Development, Vol. 5 (1): January-March 2019: pp.i-vi. ISSN 2415-2838 This article is licensed under a Creative Commons license, Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Editorial Higher Education and Science, Technology and Innovation landscape in Africa K. MUIR-LERESCHE Education Consultant, Cape Town, South Africa Corresponding Author: [email protected] ABSTRACT This edition explores some of the issues facing universities as they fulfil their mandate of providing the human resources and strengthening the knowledge base of African societies. It explores the role of universities in science and technology and the links with agricultural extension and in using its post-graduate programmes to contribute to research with an overview of the evolving RUFORUM network and how it has impacted on universities relevance and quality. A review of selected country case studies shows how the sector is responding to gender inclusivity and how it could contribute better to science, technology and innovation. Key words: Africa, gender inclusivity, Higher Education, Science, Technology, RUFORUM RÉSUMÉ Cette édition présente quelques questions auxquelles sont confrontées les universités dans leur rôle de formation des ressources humaines et de renforcement des bases de connaissances des sociétés africaines. Un accent particulier est mis sur le rôle des universités en sciences et technologie et les liens avec la vulgarisation agricole, et l’utilisation des programmes doctoraux pour la recherche, avec un aperçu de l’évolution de RUFORUM, et comment il a impacté sur la pertinence et la qualité des universités. Une revue de certaines études de cas au niveau national montre comment le secteur répond à l’inclusion des femmes et comment il pourrait mieux contribuer à la science, à la technologie et à l’innovation. Mots clés: Afrique, approche genre, enseignement supérieur, science, technologie, RUFORUM Higher Education issues in Africa increased intake, the universities had to start to African universities have faced severe challenges adapt. Within agriculture most of the research as they emerged from a colonial past where they was carried out on campus, or at best on research were established as bastions for the elite. They stations mainly serving large-scale commercial were well-respected and of high quality but agriculture. Lynam and Mukhwana (2020) served only the few. They were not an integral provide some historical context to the effect part of society and were the quintessential this had on the linkages between universities ivory towers they are often referred to. They and agricultural extension. Gbamkima and were established as clones of the universities Nakayiwa (2020) look at the importance of post- in France, England or Portugal, and often graduate programmes to underpin research. All directly linked to universities in Europe. universities are faced with the need to attract Their institutional structures, and many of the highly qualified staff, how to motivate them processes and governance, remain virtually and how to strengthen and retool them to lead unchanged today. But with declining financial the universities that will drive Africa’s growth. support and strong pressure on significantly Gbamkima and Nakayiwa (2020) consider this Higher Education and Science, Technology and Innovation landscape in Africa in some detail. Zinnah and Jackollie (2020) sustainable. highlight the critical gap that exists in Liberia because the universities are unable to attract To meet radical technological change, well qualified staff who prefer to pursue more universities across the world, have increasingly lucrative and influential positions than those been encouraged to change the paradigm to one offered in education. of facilitating learning rather than transferring information; of producing creative, adaptable Waswa et al. (2020) explore the role of graduates with strong interpersonal skills; RUFORUM in catalysing change to encourage and of working with end-users and multiple collaboration, strengthen the role of universities stakeholders on research and advocacy. in the broader society and invest in building Universities are called on to lead the evolution of relevant higher education capacity to meet the systems that are more inclusive and sustainable. growing needs. To do this, they must change themselves. Universities have been grappling with this For too many decades the very scarce highly across the world. In Africa the challenges are skilled human capital has been locked up multiplied. In some they grapple with emerging in universities. The 21st Century has seen from decades of war, as explored by Zinnah and universities increasingly take up the role of Jackollie in Liberia. In most African countries reaching out and making universities more women are poorly represented at all levels in relevant to their societies. University-led universities, and more especially in science and research platforms working with farmers and technology. Analysis of how to change this in all the stakeholders along the value chain, three countries is explored further in this edition. RUFORUM, has shown how effectively universities can generate and scale out New technologies provide opportunities to knowledge in sustainable ways by working overcome many of the challenges. Public and in partnerships. Universities have convening traditional universities are not easy to change. power and an impartial platform where it is safe But to survive they must adapt. The future to interact. By using their students to carry out workforce needs to be educated in ways that their research on such platforms, universities encourage continuous learning and adaptation. are able to ensure that they develop the skills We do not know what the future of employment and the contacts they need. Universities are will be and our graduates must be fully engaged able to update and upgrade their own teaching with internet, big data and virtual reality if they and research for relevance. Universities are are to succeed. Universities in Africa must find increasingly playing a role in leading change, ways of integrating modern technology into in leading development and in providing a role all facets of their systems: teaching, research, in advocating for greater equity: in gender, in outreach and administration. They also need to access to higher education and in producing the find ways to broaden their reach so that they are research and scaling out the information, that part of the solution to inequality, not a vehicle meets the needs and demand of the majority and for driving it. How will Africa massify higher of the poorer quintiles in society. education without losing quality and relevance? What steps are needed for universities to drive Universities have a primary function of sustainable, inclusive growth? These questions preparing students for society, of providing the are looking for African solutions on how to take skilled human capital that will drive Agenda modern technology and fit it to local realities 2063. They are also required to develop, collate so that Africa can leapfrog older systems. This and share an advanced knowledge base, to Edition provides ideas on how universities could stimulate research that will meet the future and be more effective and documents the situation in to promote development that is inclusive and some of our countries and universities. ii K. MUIR-LERESCHE This edition opens with a paper by Lynam constraint in the paper by Zinnah and Jackollie in and Mukhwana (2020) that traces the history Liberia. However, as Gbamkima and Nakayiwa of agricultural extension and higher education (2020) point out, it is not only the production since the colonial era. It articulates how the of graduates that suffers, the role of universities policy trends