Harnessing the Capacity of African Universities to Foster Rural Transformation in Africa

The rural African farmer characterizes agriculture in Sub- Saharan Africa. Their yields and productivity remain low and significantly below the global averages for key staple crops including cereal. Due to reliance on rainfall and inability to make use of limited market opportunities, small-holders are unprepared to face emerging challenges such as those related to climatic changes, the energy crises and globalization with its effects on food markets. Universities have the potential to play an important role in improving the plight of the African rural dweller. This paper summarises key issues facing African agriculture in Eastern, Central and southern Africa and highlights the strategy of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) in supporting the strengthening of African universities to produce locally relevant knowledge and high quality graduates to foster rural transformation. African universities are mandated to train the workforce of the next generation and can stimulate the private sector, improve implementation of programmes, empower local institutions and increase small holder productivity by training entrepreneurs and job creators, scientists, agricultural advisors, and Africa’s future leaders. Universities also have the potential to impact smallholder production by implementing well-grounded and prioritised action research and making available productivity enhancing packages. Improving the quality of higher education will require increased support from local sources for postgraduate training and research.