PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Department of Agricultural Economics originated in 1970 when the University of Nairobi and the Faculty of Agriculture were established.  Its distinct character for many years was a commitment to provide excellent formal training in Agricultural Economics at the MSc degree level.  In 1999/2000 academic year, the department introduced new undergraduate degree programmes in BSc Agribusiness Management, BSc Agricultural Education and Extension.  The programs rolled out the first undergraduate graduates in 2003/2004.  In 2004/2005 academic year MSc in Agricultural and Applied Economics was launched in the department.  This is a regional program under the name CMAAE offered in 16 universities with a third semester taken at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.  CMAAE first cohort enrolled in 2005/2006.  In 2008/2009, another regional (ASARECA) MSc programme in Agricultural Information and Communication Management (AICM) was rolled out in the department with a distinct focus on the enhancement of skills in Agricultural Information.  The first cohort in MSc-AICM enrolled in 2008/2009.  In 2011/2012 BSc Agricultural Extension/Education and MSc-AICM were put in ODEL mode of delivery and progress is underway to put all the programmes under e-learning.  PhD by research is offered in Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Information and Communication Management.  In summary, the following degree programmes exist in the department:

INTRODUCTION AND RATIONALE
The PhD programme in Agricultural and Applied Economics aims to produce professionals with knowledge and skills in agricultural economics needed to transform African economies. The underlying premise of the program is that highly trained professionals in Agricultural and Applied Economics will be produced to address the problems of low agro-industrialization, poor innovation, and weak agribusiness development that continue to characterize much of African economies. Such professionals will be key to addressing challenges posed by smallholder agriculture, climate change, trade and marketing, policy, technology transfer, and natural resource management. These issues underpin the aspirations of African Union Heads of State and Government’s Maputo Declaration 2003 that established the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP). The PhD programme is expected to play a key role in the achievement of the Maputo Declaration and CAADP. It will also accelerate the achievement of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 which envisions inclusive growth and sustainable development for Africa‘s transformation.
The proposed PhD programme in Agricultural and Applied Economics resonates well with the Social Pillar of Kenya’s Vision 2030 which identifies education and training as the key drivers of the country into a middle-income and industrializing economy by 2030. The Vision emphasizes the provision of globally competitive quality education, training, and research to Kenyan citizens for development and enhance individual well-being. Thus a PhD programme in Agricultural and Applied Economics is urgently needed not only to give more space for CMAAE graduates from the University of Nairobi to advance their careers but also to respond to the high demand for postgraduate training and research skills in the Eastern Africa region.
This PhD programme, which will be implemented by Coursework, Examination, and Thesis, is keeping in with the current market trends and best practices in higher education worldwide. The programme focuses on transformative education for quality training and applied research to meet the demand for skills required not only to manage the agricultural sector but also to address diverse issues in agricultural policy, trade, poverty, employment, and natural resource management. It therefore responds to the high and growing demand for highly skilled human resources in innovation, creativity, research, and community service in both public and private sectors.

The objectives of the programme are to:

• Equip learners with knowledge and skills in economic aspects of agricultural value chains, natural resources, poverty, policy, and other relevant areas
• Provide quality training in applied agricultural research to meet the high demand for human capital development in Kenya, regionally, and in the African continent.
• Produce professional agricultural economists, policy analysts, and researchers who can devise new techniques and policies for solving real-world problems affecting agriculture, food security, poverty, natural resources, and related areas.