Transforming Agricultural Education in Africa TAGDev 2.0 (University of Port Harcourt)
The University of Port Harcourt, in partnership with RUFORUM, Mastercard Foundation, and global partners, is championing climate-smart agriculture and youth empowerment in Nigeria.
About the Programme
Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development, phase 2.0 (TAGDev 2.0) is a 10-year programme (2023-2033). The Programme, was created to revolutionize agricultural education in Africa and seeks to strengthen universities and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to better serve communities by skilling and empowering Africa’s young people, especially women, and their institutions to drive inclusive, equitable and climate-resilient transformative agriculture and agri-food systems, with embedded entrepreneurship skilling.
TAGDev 2.0 Implementation Framework
Programme Implementation Overview
The Programme is being implemented by Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), Kampala, Uganda in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, the Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for Agricultural and Life Sciences (GCHERA) and 12 African universities, namely: Gulu University (Uganda), Egerton University (Kenya), Africa University (Zimbabwe), University of Free State (South Africa), Malawi University of Science and Technology (Malawi), University of Eldoret (Kenya), Uganda Martyrs University (Uganda), University of Port Harcourt (Nigeria), University of Cape Coast (Ghana), University of Bamenda (Cameroon), National University of Agriculture (Benin), and Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique (Morocco) working in different agricultural value chains like: maize, rice, livestock, roots & tubers (cassava; potatoes; yams), and horticulture (pineapple; plantain; tomatoes; aromatic & medicinal plants).
TAGDev 2.0 Programme in Nigeria
The TAGDev 2.0 Programme in Nigeria was co-designed by University of Port Harcourt (UniPort) in partnership with RUFORUM to improve the rice value chain in the agri-food systems of Nigeria. The research-for-development component was co-created by UniPort as lead institution in partnership with three other RUFORUM member universities and two TVET institutions, namely: University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN); Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT-Minna); Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB); Bayelsa State Institute of Entrepreneurial and Vocational Training, Yenegoa, Bayelsa State (BIEVT); Centre for Entrepreneurship Research and Development (CERD), Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku (FCET), Rivers State. Other partner organisation is the Department of Business Education, Faculty of Education, Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, which shall provide support with curricula review and other capacity building components in rice value chain studies.
Strategic Civil Society and Private Sector Partners
Other strategic partners with their responsibilities are indicated below. Agricultural Policy Research Network (APRNet) and Association of Deans of Agriculture in Nigeria Universities (ADAN) are civil society groups, and shall support efforts aimed at skilling, advocacy, lobbying and scaling up of positive results for research and innovatiion. Vintage Farms and Products in Elele, Rivers State is an integrated farm and private sector player that, shall facilitate internship, capacity building in experiential entrepreneurship and small, medium and and micro-enterprises (SMSE) for enhancing startup and spinoff compnanies registration.
Enterprise & Regulatory Support
The Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture shall facilitate agri-enterprise registration. Generally, the four organisations shall facilitate industry-relevant skilling, advocacy, lobbying and scaling up of positive results. Also, the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) shall enhance seed registration, approval and release for use by smallholder rice farmers. Fig. 1 shows the different partners contributing to the Agri-food Systems and Entrepreneurship Centre (ASEC) Proposal development in UniPort.
Lifelong Learning & Agripreneurship
The Programme is partnering with Agrisiti Nig. Ltd., Vitae Seeds Nig. Ltd., and African Agribusiness Incubators Network (AAIN) to foster lifelong learning in agripreneurship for participating persons, students and faculty members.
Broad Structure of TAGDev 2.0 Programme
The three broad areas of the TAGDev 2.0 Programme are:
Academic programmes
Community Action Research (CAR) supporting climate-smart and mitigation actions.
Job creation through enterprise set up (startup/spinoff) and entrepreneurship.
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Target Deliverables for 2023-2033
For the TAGDev 2.0 Programme it is expected that, at least, 70% of the participants shall be females, 10% persons with disabilities (PWD), and 25% shall be refugees and displaced persons (RDP) in Nigeria. The Programme shall deliver direct and indirect results as indicated in Table 1.
Vulnerable and disadvantaged groups like young women and men, PWD and RDP need equal access to quality education. Adopting Triple Helix plus Model where the academia – industry – government plus professional bodies and our host communities partner shall transform our institutions to meaningfully contribute to the growth and development of Africa by increasing graduate employability (self or paid) and job and wealth creation in safe environments. Developing the rice value chain shall improve farmers livelihood, and lead to job and wealth creation. The University of Port Harcourt with her partners shall contribute to attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 13.
Lead Partner: University of Port Harcourt (UniPort).
Consortium Partners:
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN);
- Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT-Minna);
- Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB),
- Bayelsa State Institute of Entrepreneurial and Vocational Training, Yenegoa (BIEVT);
- Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku, Rivers State (FCET).
CONTACT DETAILS
Office Location: Program Coordinator’s Office, ℅ ACE-CEFOR Building, Innovation Park, East-West Road, Choba, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Email Address: info.casa@uniport.edu.ng Phone Contacts: +2347035022012, +2347034378380 |