Working Document Series Open Access An epistemological paradigm shift from adaptive to systemic approach to agricultural curricula review and development in Higher Education Institutes R. Buruchara · G. Foerch · R. Hawkins · M. Karuhanga +3 more The limited impacts on poverty, hunger and land degradation from past efforts in agricultural training, research and outreach have been partly blamed on the education philosophy in higher education that is teacher centered and based on rig… RUF-35281 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access The African Renaissance: Engaging communities to strengthen agricultural tertiary Education P. Ebanyat · E. Kaunda · C. Ntwali · W. Okalebo +1 more Poverty remains a central character to the Sub-Saharan African landscape. Despite the allocation of close to US$50 per person on the African continent from various donors in 2008, much remains unchanged. The United States alone quadrupled … RUF-35276 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access University outreach support to farmer associations in western Kenya A.K. Kipkoech · P.O. Mongare · J. Ochuodho · J.R. Okalebo +1 more Moi University’s School of Agriculture obtained a research grant from Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) to carry out a research leading to the strengthening of the linkages between Moi University an… RUF-35272 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Monitoring and evaluating capacity development programmes: A conceptual basis and experiences from the RUFORUM M&E strategy development Agnes Akwang Obua-Ogwal · Washington O. Ochola In responding to the demand for tools, strategy and capacity for monitoring and evaluating (M&E) performance, the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) has embarked on development of a robust M&… RUF-35271 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Innovation systems perspectives: Institutional change to strengthen agricultural tertiary education in Sub-saharan Africa E. Adipala · Nodumo Dhlamini · Wellington Ekaya · Washington O. Ochola The changing face of African agriculture in the wake of myriad global, regional and local challenges requires adjustments in agricultural capacity development. Universities are better placed to spearhead this change but they too need to ad… RUF-35269 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Experiences from implementing regional training in the SADC region: MSc. in plant breeding and seed systems at the University of Zambia J.C.N. Lungu · M. Mataa · M.S. Mwala With SADC-ICART support, the University of Zambia designed a plant breeding M.Sc. programme that incorporated both technical and social skills. The programme has graduated 12 M.Sc. students, all of whom are already employed. The paper desc… RUF-35267 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Experiences and lessons from implementing RUFORUM supported regional MSc. and PhD programmes E. Adipala · S.C. Chindime · Nodumo Dhlamini · W.N. Ekaya +1 more This paper gives an overview on the implementation of joint postgraduate degree training programmes being run by RUFORUM, a consortium of 25 universities in the eastern, central and southern Africa region. These programmes involve joint tr… RUF-35266 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Developing an outreach framework for strengthening university-farming community engagement for improved and sustainable livelihoods (SUFACE) J.C. Achora · P. Ebanyat · W. Ekere · P. Isubikalu +2 more This project seeks to develop an operation framework where universities can work with rural farming communities to enhance productivity and competitiveness of smallholder agriculture, as well as responsiveness and impact of universities in… RUF-35260 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Key challenges and issues facing African Universities: A case study of selected African Universities E. Adipala · R. Batte · F. Judith · Washington Ochola +1 more This study assessed the “health” of seven universities in eastern, central and southern Africa with respect to agricultural training and skill enhancement opportunities, appropriateness of curricula, staffing and access to learning resourc… RUF-35259 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Developing a regional agricultural and rural innovations PhD training program in eastern africa: The Egerton University experience D.M. Amudavi · Justus M. Ombati · C.A. Onyango Although agricultural and rural sectors have a substantial economic share in Africa, their performance have remained sub-optimal due to many challenges including limited supply of high level professionals in agricultural and rural innovati… RUF-35252 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Synergizing research, development and training in the agricultural sector for food security for the rural masses of Africa: The case of Agricultural Research and Development Programme (ARDEP) in Malawi J.W. Banda · E.W. Kaunda · M. Limuwa · V.W. Saka This paper highlights major findings/results of how synergizing agricultural science and technology (research), development and training using the Agricultural Research and Development Programme (ARDEP) in Malawi as a case study can benefi… RUF-35251 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Breaking out of poverty through enhanced scientific networking in Africa: The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture E. Adipala · M. Blackie This paper considers the issue of the need for cohesion between research and policy to achieve development impact. It draws heavily on practical experience. The programme has evolved from an earlier Rockefeller Foundation university develo… RUF-35245 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Enhancing graduate training and agricultural research in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa: Lessons and new thrusts M. Blackie · Paul Woomer This paper was commissioned by the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), an association of 25 Universities engaged in natural resource management in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa to explore oppo… RUF-35244 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Diallel analysis of root dry matter content in sweetpotato R. Edema · P. Gibson · R. O. M. Mwanga · D. Shumbusha +1 more There has been much emphasis on breeding for increased sweetpotato storage root yields, but less on the dry matter yield, and its inheritance. High dry matter content (DMC) is associated with consumer preferences, and is important for proc… RUF-35241 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Participatory selection and development of drought tolerant cassava varieties for farmers in marginal areas Y. Baguma · E. Balyejusa-Kizito · J. Bisikwa · D.S.O. Osiru +1 more Most breeding experiments suffer from the disadvantage that the major stakeholders are not involved in the selection and development of the varieties. This scenario leads to poor adoption and diffusion of the resulting technologies. Partic… RUF-35240 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Determination of genetic structure of germplasm collections: Are traditional hierarchical clustering methods appropriate for genetic marker data? J. Jansen · T.L. Odong · F.A. van Eeuwijk · J. van Heerwaarden +1 more We studied the performance of traditional hierarchical clustering techniques using molecular marker data. In this study, we showed that the cophenetic correlation coefficient is directly related to subgroup differentiation and can thus be … RUF-35236 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Development of plant nutrient efficient use sorghum varieties to support livelihood strategies of East African farmers S. Gudu · P. Okori Seventy five percent of the over 100 million people in Eastern and Central Africa region live in marginal areas and are dependent on agriculture. Agricultural productivity in those areas is mainly low resource based and suffer especially f… RUF-35233 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access S1 and S2 selection of Longe 4 maize variety for tolerance to low soil nitrogen in Uganda G. Asea · R. Edema · P. Gibson · P. Namugga Low nitrogen is a major environmental stress leading to low yields in maize. Identification of varieties able to perform well under low soil N is of great significance to the resource poor farmers in the country especially when input costs… RUF-35227 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Genetic diversity in maize landraces for resistance to Chilo partellus in Kenya P. Gibson · S.N. Mugo · S.W. Munyiri · J.K. Mwololo +2 more Yield losses in maize associated with stem borer damage is estimated at 13% annually in Kenya. New sources of resistance to stem borers are needed to develop germplasm for the diverse maize growing ecologies. This study was conducted to es… RUF-35223 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Morphological and genetic characterization of mango varieties in Mozambique A.V Biljon · L. Herselman · C.R.B. Mussane Mangoes are economically important for Mozambique because of adequate climatic conditions and international market opportunities. This study compare morphological and AFLP characterisation of 30 mango varieties from the Umbeluzi research s… RUF-35222 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Innovative breeding for drought tolerance and fertilizer use efficiency in maize S.C. Muchena This paper highlights outcome of research that was initiated as part of a graduate PhD research thesis, but has today led to development of commercial maize varieties in Southern Africa. It clearly demonstrates that university-based resear… RUF-35218 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Genetic variability of soybean for yield and yield components under irrigation conditions of Gezira, Sudan Yousif Balla. Mohamed · I. Seifeldin Elrayah A field experiment was conducted to study the genetic variability among 21 soybean verities at the Gezira Research Station Farm, Sudan for two successive seasons in 2009 and 2010. Six traits were studied including grain yield/ha, days to 5… RUF-35217 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Comparison of selection indices for drought tolerance in common beans for the dry environments of Tanzania N. Lwiyiso Kilasi · M. Mwala · S. Nchimbi-Msolla This study assessed yield performance of common bean genotypes under different levels of drought stress (waster stress periods). Subsequently, drought susceptibility index (DSI), sensitivity index (SI) and drought intensity index (DII) wer… RUF-35211 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Food security and plant biotechnology applications in Africa A. Kasem Zaki Africa is, paradoxically, a continent rich in resources, and yet, lacking and lagging in overall development. African Agriculture in facing great challenges. Accordingly, African countries have developed policies aimed at transforming agri… RUF-35210 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Inheritance of resistance to maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky) in maize inbred lines and determination of their heterotic groups G. Asea · M.K. Gafishi · J.K. Tumutegyereize Maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky) is a pest of maize causing serious losses to resource-poor farmers in the tropics. To combine resistance to Maize Weevil with high yield in maize, 52 inbred lines reported to harbor resistance … RUF-35203 2010 CC BY 4.0 17 Sep 2015