The Innovation Project “Building the Capacity of African University Graduates to foster change through Agricultural Innovations” was recently launched at Egerton University (June 11, 2010). The meeting that was organized by the Egerton University Project Team was attended by by the team members and stakeholders from different departments at Egerton University, Ministries of Agriculture and Livestock, Provincial Cooperative Office, KARI-Njoro, Pyrethrum Board of Kenya, Farming Systems Kenya (FSK) – an NGO, Baraka Agricultural College – a middle level public college of agriculture, RUFORUM and Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) Rift Valley office, 2 supermarket chains, the media and postgraduate students. A member of the university council was also present and delivered “wake-up” call to the university to “be innovative of perish” as opposed to the old adage of "publish or perish". It was made clear that the project (also called Graduate Opportunities for Innovation and Transformation – GO4IT) aims at CONTRIBUTING TO AND FACILITATING AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL INNOVATION PROCESSES.
The meeting was graced by the presence of important stakeholders including senior university management represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellors in charge of research and extension (Prof Jude Mathooko) and Academic Affairs (Prof Rose Mwonya) who officially opened and closed the meeting respectively. The director of graduate studies Prof Okiror also attended the session.
The team at Egerton University is composed of six lecturers and researchers namely:
1. Prof. C. Onyango - Team leader
2. Dr. David Mulama - Rural development and extension/Alternate leader
3. Prof Bockline Bebe - Animal science
4. Dr. Elizabeth Kamau-Mbuthia - Nutrition and gender/Secretary
5. Prof. Robert K. Obura - Crop sciences and Quality Assurance
6. Ms. Mary Lopokoyit - Communication and Entrepreneurship
The launch deliberations covered the following
Introductions and Opening remarks
After Introductions, opening remarks were given by Prof C.A. Onyango and Dr. Washington Ochola from RUFORUM gave an overview of RUFORUM and the project from a regional perspective, the project initiatives, and the role of the Universities in the project.
Official launch by Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) Research &Extension (R&E)
The Project was officially launched by the DVC R&E. In his opening remarks, The DVC noted that innovations was part of what the Division of R&E is currently encouraging as part of its activities. He stated that there is a paradigm shift in the University, in the area of research with innovations and projects being the areas of focus. He noted that there was an increase in funding for research both internally and externally (where the Innovations project fitted). On matters of financial controls from the Division, the DVC was pleased to announce that they had been assessed by Price Waterhouse Coopers and awarded a green colour which indicated the best financial management. This he asserted was a vote of confidence in the way funds from donors were handled and thus the Innovations project funds were in good hands.
He also stated that the University was committed to promoting research that would solve problems in society and noted that the Innovations project was within this commitment. He said that the role he expected the project to play was to support the knowledge that communities have and improve on it. He reiterated that innovations is about “from theory to practice”, meeting people and changing reality for the poor. In his final remarks, the DVC R&E gave the following quote “The deepest wisdom about poverty lies with the poor themselves”.
Innovation project at RUFORUM
Dr. Ochola from RUFORUM introduced the Innovation project at RUFORUM. He started by giving background information about RUFORUM, their vision, mission, strategic goals, organizational structure, training programs and other priority areas that they are involved in. He outlined what RUFORUM expects to achieve in their activities. Despite some agricultural successes in Africa, he noted that there has not been wide scale impact and therefore innovative activities were needed to reverse the decline of African agriculture. Therefore, the aim of the Innovation project in Kenya, Malawi and Uganda is to innovatively influence the livelihoods of the rural poor through agricultural-based activities.
Dr. Ochola then described the Innovation project in detail, starting by describing what innovation is, as well as innovation systems and the elements of agriculture in the innovations system. He then introduced the Graduate Opportunities for Innovation and Transformation (GO4IT), funded under The ACP-S&T Project at RUFORUM. He ended his presentation by giving an overall picture of the Innovation project in each of the participating countries.
Other Presentations
- Role of a farming NGO in promoting innovations at the farm level by Farming Systems Kenya (FSK)
- Improving approaches for sustainable agriculture and rural development education through innovations by Baraka Agricultural college
- Presentation by Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK), Central Rift, Kenya
- Innovations – Perspectives of Graduate Students
Specific action points and stakeholder views were collated for the implementation during gap analysis, stakeholder needs assessment and the design and implementation of mid-career course and staff retooling. Institutional innovation was singled out the beginning of the change process.
Closing remarks by DVC- Academic Affairs (AA)
Closing remarks were given by Prof. Rose Mwonya, DVC AA. In her remarks, she stated that it was very important that the team involved other stakeholders outside the University as this would greatly add to the success of the project. She further stated that the project would provide an opportunity to change personal skills and attitudes that would lead to effective networking and innovativeness. This would ultimately lead to the improved understanding of innovations in the context of rural areas.
Some Images from the Meeting
