RUFORUM Biennal Conferences 2014,2012 and 2010

The 4th RUFORUM Biennial Regional Conference 2014

Between 19-25 July, 2014, the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), Eduardo Mondlane University and the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA), with support from national, regional and international partners, hosted the RUFORUM Fourth Biennial Conference.  Celebrating a decade of RUFORUM’s existence as a network of African led and owned universities, the occasion also celebrated The African Year of Agriculture and Nutrition Security under the theme “African Higher Education Week: Transforming Tertiary Agricultural Education – A Platform for the Way Forward”. The conference attracted policymakers, academics, students, agricultural researchers, development agencies, agribusiness representatives and development partners from within and outside Africa.  The chief dignitaries included H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, and Mrs Graca Machel, Member of the International Panel of Elders and Former Minister of Education, Mozambique.  The meeting was attended by two AU Commissioners of Rural Economy and Agriculture, and Human Resource, Science and Technology, four Ministers; 34 Vice Chancellors, Principals and Deans.

The 3rd RUFORUM Biennial Regional Conference 2012

Once every two years, RUFORUM organizes a regional week-long conference with the aim of fostering networking among its member universities and linking the universities to the other actors in the agricultural sector and tertiary agricultural education to lesson learn. The third RUFORUM Biennial Conference will take place from 24 – 28 September 2012 at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel at Entebbe, Uganda. The main objective of the conference is to provide a platform for agricultural research for development stakeholders in Africa and beyond to actively exchange findings and experiences, while at the same time learning lessons towards improving the performance of the agricultural sector and ultimately people’s livelihoods. The Biennial conference is RUFORUM’s most comprehensive meeting for the diversity of stakeholders in agriculture. It is a platform for peer review, quality control, mentorship, networking and shared learning. The conference brought together over 300 delegates from across Africa and beyond, including development partners and senior African policy makers.

The 2nd RUFORUM Biennial Regional Conference 2010.

On 20 - 24 September 2010, the Conference on Building Capacity for Food Security in Africa was jointly organized by Makerere University, National Agricultural Advisory Services, National Agricultural Research Organisation and the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM). A diversity of papers were presented that addressed development challenges in Africa and Research and Development efforts being undertaken in different parts of the continent. Case studies from outside Africa were also presented.

Ministerial Conference on Higher Education in Agriculture in Africa (CHEA)

In March 2008, the meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) countries held in Seychelles mandated the COMESA Secretariat to arrange for a high level policy meeting to respond to the above challenge. Attempts were made to hold this meeting in Lusaka, but following the death of the then Zambian President, this was not possible. In September 2009, a meeting of 37 African Universities, and 25 Vice Chancellors from Eastern, Central and Southern Africa, held in Mombasa, Kenya, requested the Government of Uganda to host the Ministerial Conference in Kampala, Uganda. Makerere University was mandated to take leadership in organizing the Conference and was to be supported by RUFORUM, the Network of 25 African Universities with a Secretariat in Kampala, Uganda. Below are the Proceedings of the successfully concluded Conference. Read more (http://www.ruforum.org/content/proceedings-ministerial-conference-higher-education-agriculture-africa-chea)