General
The 19th RUFORUM AGM in Yaoundé calls for consolidated efforts towards transforming higher agricultural & tertiary education to contribute to sustainable development & food security in Africa
The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), a consortium of 163 universities in 40 African countries held its 19th Annual General Meeting at the Palais De Congres in Yaoundé, Cameroon from 28th October to 2nd November 2023. The first of its kind in West and Central Africa, the RUFORUM AGM 2023 provided an opportunity for over 600 delegates from Africa and beyond including; Ministers, Development Partners, University leaders, students, private sector leaders; farmers and farmer representatives; emerging and early career researchers as well as other key stakeholders in agriculture and higher education to share experiences and chart a way forward for transforming higher agricultural and tertiary education to contribute to sustainable development in Africa under the theme: Transforming Higher Education to Sustainably Feed and Create Prosperity for Africa.
Officially opened by His Excellency Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon, represented by Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo, Cameroon’s Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education, the 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting in Yaoundé provided a platform for participants to deliberate on key strategies for transforming higher agricultural and tertiary education to contribute to national, continental and global development as well as building consensus among key stakeholders in agriculture and higher education on the actions required to strengthen the role and/or integration of universities in agricultural and national development processes in line with the aspirations of the African Union Agenda 2063 ‘The Africa We Want’.
In a speech presented by Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo at the official opening ceremony, His Excellency Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon stressed RUFORUM’s significant efforts to support the African Union Agenda 2063 when he said, “RUFORUM’s vision 2030, makes the body a significant contributor to transformation of Africa and vehemently seeks to harness the discovery, engagements and learning of vibrant transformative universities to catalyze sustainable, inclusive agricultural development to feed and create prosperity for Africa.”
According to him, it is worth indicating that agriculture in Africa should be understood in its broadest sense to include but not limited to animal and crop production, livestock, wild life, fisheries and forestry. Hence RUFORUM’s mission since its inception in 2004, of strengthening the capacities of universities to foster innovation responsive to demands of small holder farmers through the training of higher quality researchers, the output of impact-oriented research and maintenance of collaborative working relations among researchers, farmers, national agricultural research institutions, the Private sector and government is worthy prioritizing.
He called upon participants to use the meeting forum to change the face and image of the African continent through constructive and fruitful deliberations on agricultural production, food safety research and better health food security. To him the RUFORUM AGM is a bigger opportunity to think and act, make proposals, formulate recommendations and necessary resolutions which if acted on can change the face of the African continent.
“This is the turning point for the African continent to think big and have the courage to dream big. This is our opportunity to make a difference in our world. This is the opportunity Africa needed to change the target of its demand of action. We have to mutualize and federate our actions and voices in the interest of a united, strong and prosperous Africa,” he said.
The 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting carried a unique vibrant turn as being the first to be held in West and Central Africa. The weeklong event broke the record as the most and well attended ever with over 600 participants across the region as well as international delegates. The colorful event was embroiled with informative, constructive, edutainment activities in form of pre-AGM events, side events, Business Meetings, capacity building and mentoring sessions, scientific conferences, poster sessions and exhibitions well aligned to key thematic areas as well as the AGM theme: Transforming Higher Education to Sustainably Feed and Create Prosperity for Africa.
Additionally, high-level policy dialogues with Ministers, Senior Government Leaders and Development Partners were held to review the finance and other resource mobilization strategies as well as following up on the actualization of the available national, regional and global policies geared towards higher education transformation and ensuring of food security in Africa.
Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, Prof. Theresia Nkuo-Akenji, the RUFORUM Board Chair and Vice Chancellor University of Bamenda thanked His Excellence Paul Biya and the Government of Cameroon for accepting to host the 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting and equally appreciated the financial support towards the same cause.
In a special way, Prof. Theresia Nkuo-Akenji thanked the Ministry of State for Higher education and all the sister ministries of Government of Cameroon that worked hard to see to it that the 19th RUFORUM AGM is a success. Equally, the Board Chair, extended her sincere gratitude to the people of Cameroon for the warm reception and support.
“My special tribute goes to the members of AGM 2023 Sub committees. You have indeed done a great job throughout the ten months of organizing this significant event. On behalf of RUFORUM Network, I thank you. To the RUFORUM Secretariat under the dynamic leadership of Prof. Patrick Okwori, accept our immense gratitude for your strong determination and dedication,” she gratefully said.
She recognized the tremendous achievements and developments aligned to RUFORUM’s nineteen years (19) of existence noting that the strong network has wisely selected its priority areas of focus to transform higher education and agricultural sector in Africa as;
- Reform the training agenda for Africa to meet the development needs
- Entrepreneurship and business incubation for wealth creation
- Research for Development and wealth creation
- Partnerships for scale and impact
“As African people, permit me to use the adage of a broom; it is easy to break a single broom piece but when you combine several small brooms together they then make a broom stack that will not be easy to break. The collective power that RUFORUM has put together through 163 universities from across 40 countries bears such strength. The Vice Chancellors gathered here today remain committed to the core values and foundations of the network. To illustrate this Your Excellency, each of the Vice Chancellors meet their own costs of participation.” She happy said.
In the same spirit the RUFORUM Executive Secretary Prof. Patrick Okori deeply thanked the host Universities that is, University of Bamenda, University of Ngaoundere, University of Dschang, University of Buea and University of Maroua under the strong and able leadership of the RUFORUM Board Chair, Prof. Theresia Nkuo-Akenji for successfully hosting the 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting.
He also recognized the Former Vice Chancellor of University of Ngaoundere Prof. Florence Uphie Chinje Melo who heavily supported the AGM preparations. He was astonished with the presence of the Africa Development Bank, MasterCard Foundation, research international communities, RUFORUM for Agricultural Research in Africa, the Africa Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services, sub regional Agricultural organizations such as the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) and the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF).
“You have all provided support for this engagement, thank you very much. Together we will continue this journey of transforming Africa’s Agricultural and higher education to produce human resources and development solutions that Africa and indeed the world needs,” he said.
Reflecting on the AGM’s theme, Prof. Okori emphasized the need for Africa to become food secure when he said, “Africa must be an equal opportunity creator for the young generation, it must create wealth for its people and provide opportunities for the present and future and these are well summarized in agenda 2063. It is our collective duty therefore to turn these opportunities and actions into investment.”
According to him, the RUFORUM Network remains strong in building capacity and providing the necessary development solutions and opportunities. He noted that Africa generates about 10-12 million job entrants annually but the continent’s economy in its current configuration can only produce 3 million jobs. To him, for Africa to therefore reap from its demographic dividends, there is need to strengthen the paths to demographic transition of keeping young girls in school.
Prof. Okori also mentioned that RUFORUM is currently intensifying its inclusion and diversity targets. From 45%, the network has an ambitious target of at least 70%. “We must slow the rate at which girls give birth when young. It is the only way we are going to benefit from our population dividend,” he said.
According to him, the higher degree needs for Africa is pretty dire. The World Bank recommends 10,000 PhDs to Africa. This can be compared to India whose signal population of 1. 4 billion registers 24000 PhDs a year. The pressure therefore on Africa’s side to intensify graduate training is real.
“Our graduate training in sciences therefore is one of the drivers to achieve this and it is the immense reason as to why in this meeting we have social and development partners. We are launching a journey with the Africa Development Bank that will bring us together as apex organizations in Africa to work together and solve our own challenges. However, as we do all these, we need to celebrate Africa. We should be recognizing and celebrating people who made what Africa is today,” he said.
Africa is informed by a number of important mutually interacting factors that collectively, are affecting the growth and progress of the continent. The economic outlook of the African continent in 2023 by the African Development Bank and other global apex development financial institutions was positive. However, Africa’s economic growth has since then decelerated, and is now projected to be lower than the previously projected rate of 4.1%.
Agriculture a key sector, continues to be affected by both natural and human induced factors. It continues to face serious threats from climate. Studies by the United Nation’s Convention to Combat Desertification show that Africa accounts for 44% of severe droughts recorded globally in the last 50 years, causing economic losses of more than USD 70 billion. In 2022, an estimated loss of US$ 8.5 billion in economic damages was experienced due to climate change. Clearly, climate change and weather variability, remains one of the grand challenges of the 21st century for Africa and the World, because it affects key livelihood and strategic areas of emerging economies.
Unemployment facing Africa’s dominant demographic-the youth, raises questions about education, skilling and jobs creation while inclusion and diversity, the underpinning for an equal society, remains challenging. The question then to academia, researchers, development practitioners and policymakers is, “what step must we take right now to address the challenges to our current and future generations?”
“Our resounding response as RUFORUM is in line with what Malcolm X said many years ago, “Education and research for development are the passports to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today,” said Prof. Partick Okori.
According to the Deputy Minister for Education in Malawi, Her Excellence Mdooko Nancy Chawola who represented the visiting ministers of RUFORUM partner countries, African countries should put in place vibrant resource mobilization mechanisms to collectively finance Africa’s education and support governments that are battling with competitive budgetary demands.
“For the universities to offer solutions for the challenges the continent is facing, there is need to rebuild the curriculum that responds to our current needs and not what we needed yesterday. Our respective countries are grappling with higher levels of unemployment, can investors assist by producing graduates with entrepreneurial skills so that they are able to employ themselves and others. Of course there will be need to put in place support mechanism for such graduates to take over,” she said.
She equally acknowledged the national regulatory frameworks such as the Malawi Regulation Framework 2063 developed inline with the African Union Agenda 2063 the Africa we want, in which the continent aspires to be prosperous by 2063 through various means such as modernizing agricultural for increased production and productivity there by making people food secure.
She applauded RUFORUM’s efforts towards zero hunger in Africa through its vision 2030. According to Mdooko Nancy Chawola, food security is supposed be prerogative as well highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) that is geared towards ending hunger, attaining food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable development.
In Cameroon, Agriculture and Education have been prioritized as drivers for economic growth and transformation. Through an agricultural flagship program initiated by His Excellence Paul Biya, science programmes and financial services as well as favorable ways of accessing market have been introduced in the country with the aim of transforming agricultural sector into a value added industrialized and integrated system engine of economic growth.
According to Prof. Ngomo Horace Manga- Vice Chancellor, University Buea, the government of Cameroon has resolved to grant its people with education that can help them manage their personal, national and Africa’s present and future economic destiny. In 2022, His excellence Paul Biya endorsed the recruitment process of 2000 lecturers in universities to ensure the quality of higher education in Cameroon.
“Collectively these education reforms and investment actions affordably can transform the people of Cameroon into a strong emerging market. Cameroon carries the highest science female adoptive rate in sub-Saharan Africa at 73%. This is a strong result of government delivery of United Nations SDG 5 of achieving education and build human capital for the country,” he noted.
The Opening Ceremony for the 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting unlocked the floor for critical discussions and meetings throughout the week. At the same function, RUFORUM presented a contemporary painting to His Excellence Paul Biya, President of the United Republic of Cameroon in recognition of his outstanding, selfless and patriotic services s to the people of Cameroon and Africa at large.
On 25th October 2023, the RUFORUM Network equally participated in the Cameroon Higher Education Day, the first of its kind in the country.
Dr. James Magara, a futurist and Chairman of Yobel Biashara Initiative stood before an audience at Makerere University on September 30, 2026, and projected a map of the world. It was upside down.
He asked the room if anything was wrong, and as the audience hesitated, he revealed that “in 1569, the Flemish cartographer and geographer whose name was Gerardus Mercator, developed a map now known as the Mercator projection. It represented the curved shape of the Earth on a flat map.” He simplified it saying, the Mercator map accurately shows direction and local shape, but it distorts the size of places, especially those that are located near the poles. He pointed out that the map distorts the size of continents, making Greenland appear as large as Africa, when in reality, Africa is 14 times larger.
Fixing the map was easy and free, it took one vote, Dr Magara said, referencing the recent United Nations resolution that encouraged accurate area projections. Indeed fixing the map was easy but the actual material weight of this continent and its institutions that run within the world economy is why dialogues like this exist. “Until we (Africa) fund our own institutions ourselves, the continental agenda will keep belonging to whoever writes the check.”
This and more were part of Dr. Magara’s opening remarks while delivering a keynote at the YOBEL Biashara Conference 2026 hosted at Makerere University School of Public Health Auditorium.
The event, was co-hosted by the CASTLE Think Tank, YOBEL Biashara, and Makerere University under the theme: “Africa’s Agency in an Era of Geopolitical Change: Trade, Investment and Economic Transformation,” brought together a diverse assembly of policymakers, academics, and private sector leaders.
Representing Dr. Adam Mugume the Chief Guest who could not make it due to unavoidable circumstances, Ms. Doreen Katangaza, a researcher and economist at the Bank of Uganda (BoU) delivered his remarks while reflecting on Dr. Magara’s keynote.
She explained “what agency means in economic policy, is not isolation, it’s not withdrawal, but the capacity to choose, to negotiate, and to act.”
She emphasized that relying on external factors or rhetoric is insufficient for long-term transformation. Instead, she suggests that agency is defined by internal strength and the ability to act independently. As she states, “Africa’s agency will not only be secured by rhetoric. It will be built through capabilities. The capability to produce, the capability to finance development, capability to manage shocks and above all, capability to make choices based on our own long-term interests and people’s priorities.”
Ultimately, Ms. Katangaza aligned with all speakers mobilising for a holistic approach involving government, the private sector, and academia to build these foundations. She noted that the Bank of Uganda is committed to harmonising policies and payment systems to support this, but success depends on whether these ideas translate into tangible outcomes, such as stronger institutions and resilient economies, when stakeholders reconvene in the future.
She concluded by congratulating the YOBEL Biashara Initiative, CASTLE Think Tank, and Makerere University for organizing the forum “a platform for thoughtful discussion about Africa’s economic future.” She thanked all the speakers, all panelists, and participants for their valuable contribution and attention during her communication and entire event.
Cost of Institutional Dependence to the Continent
Dr. Magara’s address was his critique of the continent’s institutional funding. He pointed out that member states currently fund only 24% of the African Union’s own program budget. Charity begins at home, he stated. With 76% out of every dollar the African Union spends coming from partners outside the continent. He argued that this dependency is self-inflicted and fixable.
He advised that if we genuinely want a technology-creating continent, the work has to start in the primary school classroom, not in the university innovation hub. He added, while also highlighting that Africa’s research and development spending sits at 0.4 percent of GDP, far below the world average.
Dr. Magara also addressed the implementation gap that has affected the continent for decades. He suggested that the failure to execute on well-crafted strategies is not just a capacity problem, but a result of selfish interests within. Some people are benefiting from the way things are, he explained. So, if they change, they will lose the benefit.
As a futurist and leadership strategist, Dr. Magara used his keynote address to also dismantle some of the comfortable narratives often repeated in policy circles. He challenged the audience to reconsider the concept of agency, arguing that choice only becomes agency when backed by the capacity to act. He pushed back against the common narrative that Africa’s youth population is automatically a demographic dividend.
A youth bulge without a falling birth rate, without matching job creation is not a dividend, he warned. It is a dependency burden wearing dividends lobbying.
Dr. Magara said, “if you ask any panel anywhere on this continent why Africa has not industrialised, you will get the same three answers almost every single time. Not enough skills, not enough infrastructure, not enough finance. And all of this is true. All of it is real. None of it should be dismissed.” But none of those three answers explains a much stranger fact sitting right in front of us, “why have we been writing almost identical strategy documents, making almost identical recommendations for 30 years plus.”
He urged the room to be honest about the reality of the labor market, noting that every year, between 10 and 12 million Africans enter the labor market, while economies create roughly three million formal jobs. That gap cannot close itself, he stated. And it does not close by wishing it away in a policy document.
Engagement with Dr. Magara’s Keynote
The keynote featured significant engagement, primarily from Professor Pamela Mbabazi, Ms. Allen-Sophia Asiimwe, and Dr. Fred NK Muhumuza, who offered diverse perspectives that somewhat aligned with, and at certain points challenged his arguments.
Professor Pamela Mbabazi, Executive Chairperson of the National Planning Authority (NPA), offered a government perspective on the issues raised. She acknowledged the disconnect between some policy and deep thinking. Siding with Dr. Magara, there is a visible rush into making decisions without having deep thinking and engaging with amazing think tanks like YOBEL, CASTLE, she admitted.
She called for a more intentional approach to policymaking, urging think tanks to collaborate more closely with government bodies like the NPA. She explained that countries like China did not get to where they are by accident, they were intentional to include their think tanks into policy making and no decisions were made haphazardly.
Professor Mbabazi suggested that as a country and continent we can have our think tanks drive policy if we want to build a five-hundred-billion-dollar economy by 2040.
She concluded her submission joining Dr Magara in questioning whether Africa could credibly speak of strategic agency when the institutions through which agency is exercised remain substantially dependent on financing from elsewhere.
Allen Sophia Asiimwe the Deputy CEO/Chief of Programme at trademark Africa addressed the conference via zoom, and expressed she was happy “when Dr. Magara started off with a question on the size of Africa on the map and in reality, it matters.”
However, she challenged some of his assertions on financing. She requested to push back on this very strongly saying “If you look at how Africa is made up, a lot of our countries are still very poor,” arguing that the continent’s economic reality as of now requires external support.
With that said, she shifted the focus from external funding to internal inefficiencies, agreeing that Africa is sabotaging its own growth through non-tariff barriers, noting, “we are self-sabotaging. If we opened up for trade, if we allowed goods to cross the borders, we may actually make a big difference,” Ms. Asiimwe discussed.
Dr. Fred Muhumuza a prominent Ugandan development economist, senior lecturer, and policy advisor also engaged with the views on economic planning and indicators.
He agreed that think tanks are an issue, and that they must be embraced for the better. We must think about our problems, talk about them, and see what sense we make to ourselves.
Dr. Muhumuza questioned the premise that the source of financing is the primary issue, suggesting that the quality of the plan being financed is more critical.
Major General Gregory Mugisha Muntuyera, added his voice to Dr Magara’s arguing that beyond map size, Africa’s development is hindered not by a lack of potential, but by a mindset of dependency. Drawing a contrast to the conditioning of elephants in India mastered by small humans.
The General stated, “we have got the knowledge, we have got the qualifications, but we have been conditioned.”
He emphasized that true progress requires discipline for ” without this nothing is going to happen” regardless of how many conferences are held.
The Cost of a Broken System
Ms. Eseza Mulyagonja, a member of the YOBEL Biashara board, as one of the opening speakers, issued a strong reminder of the urgency required in addressing the continent’s challenges.
Ms. Mulyagonja shared a story so dear to her, of a young boy in a village who died after being bitten by a snake because he was not in school, for his fees were unpaid. She used this to illustrate the human cost of broken systems and advised that we do not have to wait for calamity to strike, since this is a story that is so common.
She said as a continent, we have got to confront these things saying if we do not bring these stories close to home, we will not be propelled to change the direction for the better.
MAKERERE-CASTLE-YOBEL A PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA’S TRANSFORMATION
Representing Professor Sarah Ssali, the First Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, Professor Edward Bbaale the Principal College of Business and Management Sciences, emphasised the institution’s commitment to being an active partner in national and continental transformation acknowledging the global economic order is undergoing profound change, characterised by geopolitical realignment and an accelerating energy transition.
“These questions cannot be settled in just one conference. These are conversations that we’re going to have to continue even after here. So once again, I thank our chief guest, our keynote speaker, our discussants, our partners, the organizers, and every one of you who have made this time a meaningful time spent and made meaningful contributions to Africa’s future.
“The important question, therefore, is not simply how Africa will be affected by these changes, but how Africa will shape them”, Professor Bbaale remarked.
Crowning the remarks from the host institution, Makere University Chairperson of Council Dr. Lorna Magara appreciated everyone that was present for this noble conversation.
She said, “I trust that each of us leaves today with at least one idea that we are going to execute for the good of our continent.”
She proposed that the first item on the agenda of the YOBEL Biashara 2027 conference should be looking at the scorecard of what has been done to see that Africa increasingly moves from being a passive recipient of global economic decisions to becoming an active participant in shaping the rules, institutions, and partnerships that determine its development direction.
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