Agroforestry education at university level: ICRAF’s strategy
In recent years, considerable progress has been made in the field of agroforestry research, but much remains to be done. Research and development efforts in developing countries are hindered by the shortage of scientists and professionals trained in this field. At the same time, agroforestry education suffers from a lack of scientifically tested information that can be included in study plans. This paradox presents a challenge to researchers and educators. In an effort to advance on both fronts, ICRAF is developing its research and training programs in an integrated format. This paper provides a brief description of ICRAF’s programs and general strategy, followed by a more detailed analysis of the agroforestry education activities. Since its inception, ICRAF has been involved in agroforestry education. In 1988, a collaborative program with African universities was started, in order to develop an appropriate agroforestry curriculum. A questionnaire was designed to gather information on existing programs. During 1990 and 1991, 32 universities were contacted, 26 were visited, and three regional workshops were organized. Based on the results of these activities, ICRAF decided to concentrate its efforts in three areas: curriculum design at Master’s level, organization of short courses and workshops, and development of a project to gain funding for the African Network for Agroforestry Education (ANAFE).
Download :
This works is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Publication year
2022
