SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SKILLS FOR AFRIC A’S DE VELOPMENT MARCH 2014 85713 Human Capital for Agriculture in Africa Africa’s Agriculture Growth Trajectory KEY MESSAGES During the last decade, Africa’s leaders n Africa’s leaders see agriculture as an engine for overall economic have repositioned agriculture as a top development; in Sub-Saharan Africa it contributes 32 percent of priority. In 2004, the Comprehensive gross domestic product and 65 percent of employment. Africa Agriculture Development n Growth in agriculture is twice to four times as effective in Programme (CAADP) was launched. In reducing poverty as other sectors but is held back by a lack of the first joint continental development qualified professionals. strategy for agriculture, African leaders n The low level of human capital in Africa’s agricultural sector agreed to increase public investment in remains a significant constraint to growth, poverty reduction, agriculture by a minimum of 10 percent and food security on the continent. of their national budgets and to raise n Agricultural education has been neglected for several decades agricultural productivity by at least 6 and is poorly prepared to address the need for qualified percent. professionals. Over its ten years of existence, CAADP’s n African ministers and leaders have asked for “a radically new technically sound investment plans and approach” to agriculture education, as the current system is out programs have suffered implementation of step with the job market. difficulties at the country level because n The World Bank is supporting African leaders as they seek of the frequent lack of qualified technical ways to transform higher education so that it produces staff. entrepreneurs, creative thinkers and business leaders who The Ministerial Communiqué from the contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction. 2010 Ministerial Conference on Higher Education in Agriculture in Africa says: “We, the Ministers, are aware that the Figure 1. Agriculture’s economic importance crippling disconnect between the absolute necessity to assure the success of CAADP and the critical shortage of human capacity required to achieve that success must be resolved as a matter of national, regional and even global urgency.” The Communiqué further emphasized that universities must support enquiry- based and student-centered teaching and learning approaches to ensure that universities produce problem solvers and entrepreneurs. The backbone of most African Agriculture, value economies is the agricultural sector; added (% of GDP) improvements in this sector correlate 0% 67% positively to all major economic and social indicators such as economic Source: World Bank, 2014 development, foreign revenue, labor market, food security, poverty elevation of Education for Agricultural Productivity AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DO NOT and equity. found that education had a significant EDUCATE FOR AFRICAN NEEDS The 2006 Framework for African positive impact on agricultural Why is it difficult to find competent Agricultural Productivity has laid out productivity worldwide. The effect can doctors, engineers and managerial how to achieve the CAADP vision of a be considered sizeable—an additional candidates for agribusiness in Africa? significant growth rate in agriculture. year of schooling for the whole Table 1 shows young people’s subject population could raise land productivity preferences in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is Mind the Gap by approximately 3.2 percent (Am. J. Agr. striking how much their preferences Econ. (2013) 95 (1): 131-152). Rwanda, for The severity of Sub-Saharan Africa’s mirror those of students from the example, has invested aggressively in lack of human capital is clearly Organisation for Economic Co- tertiary education in recent years; the illustrated by Figure 2 which shows operation and Development (OECD) number of new graduates since 2006 is the proportion of people enrolled in countries, despite the huge difference in twice the number of graduates in the post-secondary vocational training economies and societies. There is huge previous 44 years since independence. and tertiary education. The actual size labor demand from extractive industries Now consider Rwanda’s national food of the region indicates the number of and health care in Africa and yet crucial production for the same period; Figure enrolled students; Sub-Saharan Africa subjects such as engineering and health is almost invisible. A young person 3 shows a significant boost in food have fewer students in Africa than in in Finland is 140 times more likely to production coinciding with the massive OECD countries. get a tertiary education than his peer upgrading of human capital. How well in Mozambique; a young woman in they are correlated has not yet been Most striking is that only 2 percent Finland is 200 times more likely to studied in detail. of African students specialize in get a tertiary education than a young woman in Mozambique. The question is, with the existing tertiary institutions Figure 2. Territory size shows the proportion of people worldwide in Africa already overburdened, under- Tertiary Education enrolled in tertiary education Produced by the SASI group (Sh resourced, under-staffed and run down, Tertiary educat education and how is Africa going to meet the demand vocational train 105 million stud for substantially higher numbers of tertiary educati percentage of t graduates with significantly improved population enr Finland is 3.6 tim capabilities and entrepreneurial with 140 times education than mindsets? Most territories Those territorie numbers of peo DOES TERTIARY EDUCATION education that distinguishable HAVE AN IMPACT ON Africa. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION? India is at half t tertiary enrolem thirds; only 4 of According to a World Bank education territories are s Territory size shows th report (2002): “Tertiary education enrolled in teriary edu exercises a direct influence on national Source: http://www.worldmapper.org, Map no. 203 MOST AND LEAST TERTIARY EDUCATION ENROLMENT 35 ENROLMENT IN Rank Territory Value Rank Territory Value enrolment in tertiary education as % of productivity which largely determines 1 2 Finland United States 42.8 40.9 191 192 Burundi Guinea-Bissau 0.8 0.8 30 population aged 15-24 25 living standards and a country’s ability 3.area FigureLand Evolution of Rwanda food production 3 4 Republic of Korea Sweden 40.7 38.3 193 194 Papua New Guinea Sao Tome & Principe 0.7 0.7 20 Southeastern Africa 5 New Zealand 36.1 195 Angola 0.6 to compete in the globalization process”. Southern Asia Northern Africa Technical notes 6 Norway 35.2 196 Comoros 0.6 15 • Data are from the United Nations Development 7 Russian Federation 35.0 197 Djibouti 0.6 Central Africa 4,500,000 Prgoramme’s 2004 Human Development Report. 600,000 10 The Food and Agriculture Organization • See website for further information. 4,000,000 8 9 Australia Greenland 32.5 32.4 198 199 United Republic of Tanzania Malawi 0.5 0.5 5 10 Bahamas 32.4 200 Mozambique 0.3 (FAO) states that no country has become 3,500,000 enrolment in tertiary education as percentage of population aged 15-24 500,000 0 Cereals & Pulses Production Roots & Tubers Production developed without well-educated the university is the uncorrupted institution of truth, that lofty temple where “...3,000,000 400,000 it is sought in so people and a strong agricultural base honest discussion, not in compliance with any government, market or social interest ... 2,500,000 ” Alexa 300,000 that provides food security (Education www.worldmapper.org 2,000,000 © Copyright 2006 SASI Group (University of Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan) in Agriculture: Links with Development in 1,500,000 200,000 Africa, SDdimensions, FAO, July 1996). 1,000,000 100,000 The FAO acknowledges that good 500,000 0 0 educational systems will not solve all 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 problems, but they are a prerequisite Roots & Tubers: Cassava & Irish Potatoes Cereals: Wheat & Maize Pulses: Beans for sustained agricultural production and economic development. On the Source: MINAGRI annual report 2010/11 evidence side, a study Revisiting the Role 2 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SKILLS FOR AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT Table 1. What do students study? University graduation rates in Africa and the world (2008-2010) Education, Social Science, Engineering, Health and Humanities Business Science Manufacturing Agriculture Services Other Welfare and Arts and Law and Construction Sub-Saharan 12% 26% 44% 4% 2% 5% 0% 7% Africa (3% ICT) 8% North Africa 22% 51% 10% 1% 6% 1% 1% (1% ICT) Asia 23% 30% 6% 20% 4% 9% 4% 4% Latin America 23% 38% 7% 9% 2% 13% 3% 5% 10% OECD 25% 37% 11% 2% 11% 4% 1% (3% ICT) Source: African Economic Outlook 2012, UNECA agriculture, even though agriculture GRADUATES SUITED TO A New Challenges Require contributes 32 percent of Africa’s GDP, WORLD THAT NO LONGER EXISTS New Mindsets and Skills compared to 1.4 percent in Europe. The educational system inherited Africa has a comparative advantage A 2002 report entitled Constructing from Africa’s former colonial powers for business development within Knowledge Societies: New Challenges has not changed significantly since agriculture and a great underutilized for Tertiary Education, stated: “Higher independence. The structure of the potential for regional and international education produces the entrepreneurs, continent’s food and agricultural systems trade in processed agricultural the creative thinkers, the business is rapidly becoming private sector products. So why are only 11 percent leaders that generate economic growth driven and yet most universities develop of African students studying subjects and turn poor countries into prosperous graduates suited to teach or work in with potentially high employability, ones.” Africa’s challenge today is public sector universities, research while 70 percent are studying subjects moving agriculture education from its institutions and ministries of agriculture. which have already produced huge present emphasis on passive ’storage of Not only is this sector saturated but the cohorts of unemployed graduates? knowledge’ that produces ‘knowledge technical knowledge of these graduates One reason might be that it is far conveyors’ to a more proactive focus on is outdated. Human capital in agriculture cheaper to offer humanities and ‘knowledge adaptation’ that produces covers a diverse group of professionals social sciences degrees, as these do ‘knowledge creators’ (Figure 4) with such as extension agents, agronomists, not require laboratory/workshop the skills and capabilities urgently veterinarians, plant breeders, food equipment. So when governments needed to unleash the potential of scientists, nutritionists, applied and university management have to the agriculture sector. Africa needs engineers, agribusiness specialists, respond to public pressure for more creative entrepreneurial professionals entrepreneurs in agricultural supply university seats, they seem to opt for and leaders within agriculture to achieve chains, natural resource managers, the cheapest supply solution, although the CAADP vision of a 6 percent annual regulatory authorities and policy this choice does not address labor growth rate in agricultural productivity. analysts. There is a major mismatch market/private sector demand. More between what job seekers have to offer autonomy for universities and private and what employers require. This is a DISENTANGLING THE sector representatives on university GORDIAN KNOT critical problem for many reasons—for councils may help effect change. the individual who is unable to find It is time for radical new approaches On the demand side, bright young employment, for society that gets and a commitment to use whatever people do not often choose to study little return on its investment in higher means available to increase human agriculture. For most young Africans, education, for the industry that is unable capital in African agriculture. agriculture is synonymous with to utilize its growth potential due to lack Reinvesting in tertiary agriculture poverty. This problem has been faced of adequate human capital and for the education (TAE) is a must as this sector by other developing regions as well, so entire agricultural sector which is already feeds the rest of the knowledge chain African universities could learn to tackle struggling to attract qualified young with knowledge brokers, trainers it from their peers elsewhere. people. and teachers (thereby stimulating HUMAN CAPITAL FOR AGRICULTURE IN AFRICA 3 the way they are governed. A culture Figure 4. Vision for change of learning paradigm within TAE of knowledge sharing should be fostered between research, extension Today’s approach to TAE in Africa New approach to TAE in Africa mainly produces passive designed to produce active and higher education. Information needs to flow in both directions along Knowledge Containers Knowledge Creators the knowledge chain, from producers 6 to professors and from peasants to Second order learning loop policy makers. The private sector 5 2 must be engaged in setting priorities, 3 teaching and getting students out 1 of the classrooms so they can tackle real life problems and accelerate skills acquisition through experiential 4 learning. Ethical aspects should be reinvigorated in educational programs At present the students are passive receivers of knowledge with little ability to use it once graduated. to address corruption, mismanagement Future graduates will have less theoretical knowledge (1) and instead be capacitated to see and analyse reality (2), of public and natural resources and reflect if they have adequate knowledge (1) or need to add more (3), in interacting with the world graduates will abuse of authority. through experiential learning be equipped with a toolbox of skills and methods (4), which they apply on reality (2) and reflect on the result. They will learn to reflect (6) on there own biases in interacting with reality here reflected These changes cannot be brought as the “window” (5) they see the world through (inspired by Kolb, D 1984 Experiential Learning: Experience as the source of learning and development). about by any single set of stakeholders working in isolation. Farmers and their organizations, the private sector, higher further capacity development in agriculture, such as Earth University in education institutions, community Africa). Increased public investment Costa Rica which graduates capable based organizations, non-government in agriculture through CAADP benefits entrepreneurs; or Arizona State organizations, governments, higher education, but an increase University which has prioritized student development partners and individuals in direct foreign investment and rather than faculty demands. New all bring different competitive overseas development aid will also technologies like the Massive Open advantages to the table, and should be required to upgrade facilities and Online Courses (MOOC) should be therefore all be engaged. Some of update curriculum. Africa can learn viewed as a complement to formal these stakeholders can experiment from successful educational models education. Governments should and innovate at low cost, while some worldwide that are graduating grant tertiary institutions much more validate and extrapolate, and others creative thinkers and entrepreneurs in autonomy and encourage changes in scale up and institutionalize. MORE ON THE TOPIC • Association of African Universities (AAU) homepage: http://www.aau.org • Agricultural Education and Training in Africa (AET) homepage: http://www.aet-africa.org/ • African Network for Agriculture, Agroforestry and Natural Resources Education (ANAFE) homepage: http://www.anafeafrica.org/ • Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) homepage: http://www.nepad-caadp.net/ • Earth University homepage: http://www.earth.ac.cr/?lang=en • Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)’s agribusiness incubators homepage: http://www.fara-africa.org/our-projects/unibrain/ • IFPRI (2207) Strengthening Agricultural Education and Training in Sub-Saharan Africa from an Innovation Systems Perspective;. Discussion Paper 00736 http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/ifpridp00736.pdf • Juma C (2012) Agriculture Education Key to African Development, Research from Harvard Kennedy School, volume 5, Issue 1. http://www. hks.harvard.edu/news-events/publications/impact-newsletter/archives/autumn-2012/agricultural-education-key-to-african-development • World Bank (2002) entitled Constructing Knowledge Societies: New Challenges for Tertiary Education http://siteresources.worldbank.org/ INTAFRREGTOPTEIA/Resources/Constructing_Knowledge_Societies.pdf