Agricultural skills development in Uganda

1. Agricultural skills development in Uganda What are the missing links? Presentation by: Cuthbert Tukundane Uganda Martyrs University Cuthbert Tukundane

2. Presentation outline • Background • Current Status of agricultural skills training in Uganda • AVET issues • Experience from teaching and research • Preconditions for successful agricultural skills training in Uganda • Conclusion Photo UNDP Cuthbert Tukundane

3. Background • Agriculture is the mainstay of Uganda’s economy • Over 70% of the country’s population are engaged in the sector • The sector is the major employer in the country • employs the largest proportion, 65.6% of the population aged 10 and above (figures for 2010) • In 2010/11, the sector accounted for 22.5% of total GDP • Agricultural exports accounted for 46% of total exports in 2010 (Figures are from UBOS, 2011) Cuthbert Tukundane

4. Background cont. • Most industries in Uganda are agro-based • Though the sector’s share in total GDP has been declining, it remains very important and the basis for the manufacturing and service sectors • Therefore agricultural development is of paramount importance for the provision of food for the population and raw materials for the manufacturing sector and potential for the export sector Cuthbert Tukundane

5. Background cont. • Efforts aimed at poverty reduction and rural development in the country have over the years been justifiably focused on this sector • The country has adequate land and water resources to enable it to produce enough food for domestic consumption and have excess for export • Thus, agriculture should present opportunities for economically viable careers Cuthbert Tukundane

6. Background cont. • Against this backdrop, investment in the various departments in the sector and in skills development is a critical issue • Government admits that one of the major problems stifling the agricultural sector is insufficient manpower and skills (MAAIF, 2011) • Proper Agricultural Skills Development (ASD) is crucial for the growth of the sector Cuthbert Tukundane

7. Agricultural skills training in Ugandacurrent issues • Agricultural training and skills development in Uganda is limited • Training currently being offered at a few institutions • Universities • Agricultural and cooperative training colleges • Farm schools • Vocational schools Cuthbert Tukundane

8. Agricultural skills training in Ugandacurrent issues cont. • District Agricultural and Information Training Centres (DATICs) • Agricultural Research and Development Centres (ARDCs) • Agricultural Development Centres (ADCs) • Farmer Field schools • A little bit in Primary & Secondary schools and Teacher Training Colleges • Private institutions/organizations Cuthbert Tukundane

9. Agricultural skills training in Ugandacurrent issues cont. • Products/Graduates: specialists, agricultural officers, veterinary doctors, researchers, extension workers, agricultural assistants, trained farmers etc. • Both public and private provision • More institutions are needed and the supply does not match the numbers and quality of the human resource base required for agricultural development (MAAIF, 2011) Cuthbert Tukundane

10. Agricultural skills training in Ugandacurrent issues cont. • In 2004, Government developed a National Agricultural Education Policy and Strategy aimed at promoting farming as a business and professionalism in agriculture but this policy has not been implemented • Agricultural Training Institutions produce diploma and certificate holders and yet these are no longer recruited by Local Governments though farmers tend to prefer them to degree holders (MAAIF, 2011) Cuthbert Tukundane

11. Agricultural skills training in Ugandacurrent issues cont. • Integrating agricultural education within the curricula for primary school education remains a challenge as both the teachers and pupils have not shown enthusiasm for and commitment to the recommended agricultural practices as a daily routine (MAAIF, 2011) • The functional adult literacy programme, which is pivotal to adult farmers’ ability to conceptualise and implement best practices, continues to face challenges due to rising dropout rates (MAAIF, 2011) Cuthbert Tukundane

12. AVET Issues • Trying to do a good job – products of AVET are the ones more likely to work directly with farmers [stories] • The kind of skills produced at this level would suit smallholder farmers – a majority in Uganda’s agriculture • Generally, vocational education in Sub-Saharan Africa and Uganda in particular is stigmatized as an institution for those who have failed in the mainstream academic education Cuthbert Tukundane

13. AVET Issues cont. • Thus, it suffers from a bad image & the situation is compounded by a general dislike of science subjects in the country by many young people • Because for most people it is a second or third choice, motivation of many students and teachers within these institutions is low Cuthbert Tukundane

14. AVET Issues cont. • Many see these as stepping stones to further education to catch up with those who took the academic mainstream route • The institutions are poorly facilitated • In some cases, more theoretical/academic than practical and yet it is more practical help that the farmers need • Initiatives to correct this: BTVET; Skilling Uganda Cuthbert Tukundane

15. Experience at a Farm school and training programme in Western Uganda • Course choice [changing status, other courses, gender] • Attitude (teachers & students) • Mode of study (theory versus practical) • Facilitation (materials, demonstrations etc.) • Teachers qualifications/teaching methods • Field attachment/practical lessons • The graduates and agricultural career [tracer study] • What are we doing? Cuthbert Tukundane

16. My classroom and research experience • Agriculture and rural development course • Field visits/practical exercises/placements • Encounter with potential agriculture students • Farmers’ experience • Skills transfer – extension services Cuthbert Tukundane

17. Preconditions/recommendations • Promote positive attitudes towards agriculture. The image of agriculture has to be changed – no longer ‘dirty work’ but a profitable venture, viable career • Agricultural institutions must be strengthened and properly funded • Labs and equipment needed to make courses more ‘hands-on’ • The curriculum changed to make it more practical oriented – life skills, technical skills, problem solving etc. Cuthbert Tukundane

18. Preconditions/recommendations cont. • Emphasis should be on all the three learning domains, namely, cognitive, psychomotor and affective – beyond agricultural knowledge and skills e.g. way to deal with farmers, communication skills, entrepreneurial skills, book keeping, marketing, problem-solving, how to handle agricultural credit, developing effective farmer groups, functional skills etc. • Properly trained and facilitated teachers Cuthbert Tukundane

19. Preconditions/recommendations cont. • Start developing career early enough – give exposure as early as primary and secondary schools e.g. field visits to model farms, interaction with agricultural professionals, career guidance etc. • Partnerships with the different stakeholders – farmers, agri-business entrepreneurs, local leaders, educators, and key players in the informal and formal sectors - to make the training more relevant and responsive to the local farmer/farming needs – demand-driven Cuthbert Tukundane

20. Preconditions/recommendations cont. • Hierarchical training – Needs at different levels/for different groups (from primary school to university and to functional adult literacy)/that cut across the value chain • Importance of research – linking research, training and agricultural development [top-down approach?] • Modern and relevant skills e.g. how to use appropriate technology to preserve perishable foods/goods, simple irrigation methods, soil and water conservation, integrated pest management etc. Cuthbert Tukundane

21. Preconditions/recommendations cont. • Improve the remuneration of people employed in the agricultural sector and encourage their continuous training • Strengthening the linkage between formal and non-formal agricultural education • Implement the proposals in the National Agricultural Education Policy; BTVET; Skilling Uganda Cuthbert Tukundane

22. Conclusion • Agriculture is and will continue to play a vital role in the growth and development of Uganda • Promoting and strengthening agricultural skills development is crucial • Agricultural skills development is a complex task and will require an inter-sectoral approach [cooperation] Thank you Cuthbert Tukundane

23. References • Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), 2011. National Agricultural Policy (Final Draft) • Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), 2011, cited in MAAIF, 2011. National Agricultural Policy (Final Draft) • Kibwika, P. et al., 2010. Does agricultural education prepare early school leavers for a career in agriculture? Experiences from Uganda. In: Zeelen, J. et al. (eds.). The Burden of Educational Exclusion: Understanding and Challenging Early School Leaving in Africa, pp. 67-79. Cuthbert Tukundane