MASTERCARD FOUNDATION BSc AND MSc SCHOLARSHIPS

Background: The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) in partnership with The MasterCard Foundation, Gulu University and Egerton University are implementing an eight year program aimed at transforming African agricultural universities and their graduates to better respond to developmental challenges through enhanced application of science, technology, business and innovation for rural agricultural transformation. This is eight year program (2016-2024) and will be supporting students that are economically disadvantaged, those from post-conflict and conflict affected areas of Africa. Interested applicants will undertake their training at Gulu University and Egerton University.

Eligible Programmes: The RUFORUM Technical Committee (RTC) has identified the following priority programs for the academic year 2017/2018 as eligible for application and to be supported.
Gulu University
1. Bachelor of Science in Agri-Entrepreneurship and Communication
Management
2. Bachelor of Science in Food and Agribusiness
3. Master of Science in Food Security and Community Nutrition
4. Master of Science in Agri-Enterprises Development
Egerton University
1. Bachelor of Science in Agriculture
2. Bachelor of Science in Animal Science
3. Master of Science in Community Studies and Extension
4. Master of Science in Agri-Enterprise Development

Who is Eligible to apply:
This scholarship opportunity is open to African students of all race, colour, dissent and who in particular are economically disadvantaged and those coming from conflict and post-conflict areas of Africa. The applicant has to be in position to qualify for admission into undergraduate and/or postgraduate programs at Gulu University and/or Egerton University as listed above. Students already having a scholarship of any kind are not eligible to benefit this scholarship opportunity anyone with a double scholarship if found will automatically be discontinued. Read more

Attention: No payment for application forms prior to submission is required.

Important downloads:

1. RUFORUM Announcement
2. RUFORUM Application form
3. Egerton University Announcement
4. Egerton University Masters Application form
5. Egerton University Undergraduate form
6. Gulu University Announcement
7. Gulu University Masters Application form
8. Gulu University Undergraduate Application form

Arab Republic of Egypt and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) empowering young professionals with aquaculture skills

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As part of the mentorship program which aims at building the capacities of the youth and young professionals in Africa and strengthening the bilateral relationship between Malawi and the Arab Republic of Egypt; LUANAR through NEPAD Regional Fish Node nominated 2 staff members who have been supported by the Egyptian government to  undertake hands on training in the field of “Small Scale Freshwater Fish Farming” from 30 July to 11 August 2016 in Cairo, Egypt.  The young professionals nominated by LUANAR to attend training are Miss Thokozire Gwaza and Mr. Spriano Mpango who are Aquaculture and Fisheries graduates and currently working at the NEPAD Regional Fish Node as Research Assistants.

The two weeks training is expected to equip the nominees with knowledge on i) how to incorporate aquaculture activities within production systems, under a context of diversification that makes farming systems more sustainable; ii) how participants can contribute to the diversification and enhanced nutritional value of family diets, securing farmers and their families, working to obtain optimal yields from the exploitation of the land; and iii) how farmers capacity to market their agricultural products, including those of aquaculture origin, which contribute to income generation can be increased.

For more information; email fishnode@yahoo.com , website,  twitter @fishnode and facebook 

Author: Mr Happy Mussa,

Editor: Ms Msekiwa Matsimbe

World Bank approves 24 new African centres of excellence

The board of the World Bank has approved 24 centres of research excellence for funding in Eastern and Southern Africa. The centres stand to receive up to US$6 million each over five years, financed through a low-interest loan from the bank to their national governments.

The centres will train postgraduates, promote academic partnerships nationally and regionally, and improve governance in their host universities.

Eight countries will receive funding for centres: Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The funding will come through loans from the bank’s International Development Association.

Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda have four centres each. Kenya has three, Zambia two and Mozambique one.

This is the second round of African Centres of Excellence that the bank funds in Africa—the first crop was funded in West and Central Africa.

The list of winners approved by the board is longer than an interim list of proposed centres produced in January by the World Bank’s African Centres of Excellence II project.

Twenty-three centres appeared on that list, including one in Zimbabwe on sustainable food systems, which is the only proposed centre not to make it onto the winners’ roll.

The reason for this is that the country is not eligible for funding due to it having overdue payments for other schemes, says Xianon Cao, the lead official on the ACE II programme.

He said the centre had been included on the proposed list in January in case the country’s eligibility status changed, or if alternative funding could be found.

In the end, neither option panned out. “We’d been working with our country office in Harare trying to raise money from development partners in the expectation that maybe a couple for centres would be selected. But fundraising was not successful,” he said.

According to a press release published on 10 June by ACE II, the initiative is expected to enrol more than 3,500 graduate students, publish almost 1,500 journal articles, and generate almost US$30 million in external revenue.

The Inter-University Council for East Africa based in Kampala, Uganda, will administer the scheme.

The next steps are for the governments of these countries to draw up agreements with the selected institutions laying out the conditions of funding.

Centres will become operational at different times, depending on how fast they can clear these administrative hurdles.

Full list of centres approved by the World Bank board:

Ethiopia
African Center of Excellence for Climate Smart Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation (Climate SABC) Haramaya University
Center for Innovative Drug Development & Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa) Addis Ababa University
ACE for Water Management (ACEWM) Addis Ababa University
African Railway Education & Research Institute (ARERI) Addis Ababa University

Kenya
Center of Excellence in Sustainable Agriculture & Agribusiness Management (CESAAM) Egerton University
Sustainable Use of Insects as Food and Feeds (INSEFOODS) Jaramogi Odinga Oginga University of Science & Technology
Center of Excellence in Phytochemicals Textiles and Renewable Energy (PTRE) Moi University

Malawi
Aquaculture and Fisheries Science (Aquafish) Center of Excellence Lilongwe University of Agriculture & Natural Resources (LUANAR)
Center for Public Health and Herbal Medicine (CEPHEW) University of Malawi – Malawi College of Medicine

Mozambique
Center of Studies in Oil and Gas Engineering and Technology (CS-OGET) Universidade Eduardo Mondale

Rwanda
African Center of Excellence in Energy for Sustainable Development (ACEESD) University of Rwanda – College of Science & Technology
African Center of Excellence in Internet of Things (ACEIoT) University of Rwanda – College of Science & Technology
Africa Center of Excellence for Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Science (ACEITLMS) University of Rwanda – College of Education
African Center of Excellence for Data Sciences (ACE-DS) University of Rwanda – College of Business & Economics

Tanzania
African Center of Excellence for Innovative Rodent Pest Management & Biosensor Technology Development (IRPM&BTD) Sokoine University of Agriculture
Southern African Center for Infectious Disease Surveillance (SACIDS) Sokoine University of Agriculture
Ethiopia Kenya Malawi Water Infrastructure & Sustainable Energy Center for the Futures (WISE) Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science & Technology
Collaborating Center for Research, Evidence, Agricultural Advancement & Teaching Excellence & Sustainability (CREATES) Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science & Technology

Uganda
Makerere University Center for Crop Improvement (MaCCI) Makerere University
Center of Materials, Product Development & Nanotechnology (MAPRONANO) Makerere University
African Center for Agro-ecology & Livelihood Systems (ACALISE) Uganda Martyrs University
Pharm-Biotechnology & Traditional Medicine Center (PHARMTRAC) Mbarara University of Science & Technology

Zambia
Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases (ACEEZD) University of Zambia
The Copperbelt University Africa Center of Excellence for Sustainable Mining Copperbelt University

– See more at: https://www.researchprofessional.com/0/rr/news/africa/pan-african/2016/6/world-bank-approves-new-african-centres-of-excellence.html#sthash.aHKuP2VT.dpuf

Article Source: https://www.researchprofessional.com/0/rr/news/africa/pan-african/2016/6/world-bank-approves-new-african-centres-of-excellence.html

MOVING WITH ICT STRIDES FOR Agri-IMPACT!

Photo and Video shooting session by Fish Node young professionals and Go Trolly Films

For what use is it to keep all knowledge, ideas and research findings to yourself.  If you intent to make impact and be visible, you cannot escape the power of ICT especially in agriculture. Social media is the current most powerful tool in reaching out to millions at an amazing low cost.

 

The NEPAD Fish node hasn’t been left behind in the dot.com ICT era within its reach. All it needed was to enhance capacities of its youthful staff. It therefore embarked on a training to on social Media reporting in 12 April-13 April 2016, Aquaculture and Fisheries Science Department – Malawi. The training was aimed at equipping knowledge and skills on social media reporting to the 15 young professionals for effective communication, visibility and opportunities for agriculture development in aquaculture and fisheries development. Believing that we do not need to always outsource, the fish node capitalized on existing human capacities to build up other team members. The training was facilitated by Ms Msekiwa Matsimbe, Assistant Technical Coordinator at NEPAD Regional Fish Node, and Mr Dennis Chinkhata, Innovative Fish Farmer Network (IFFNT) Coordinator who have experience in social media reporting in the team. Msekiwa was trained in social media reporting in 2012 by GFAR at the second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD2) while Dennis was trained in 2015 by RUFORUM.

 

During the training the young professionals were able to practice on use of key social media tools like Facebook, twitter and blogs. It is envisaged that the trained young scientist reporters will have a significant impact on both the dissemination of information from Agriculture research findings and in provoking interactive exchanges between those passionate about agriculture via Twitter. The young professionals are keen to use social media to engage and network with other professionals in Agriculture both nationally and globally.

 

The Fish node social media platform likes, views, interaction and feedback is skyrocketing and more is expected as the skills are maturing each day.

	Social Media Platform (Like/Follow/Hits)
Name of Program	Facebook*	Twitter*	Blog*	Instagram*
NEPAD Fish Node	537	292	5,359	32
Youth For Fish Program	843	159
African Fisheries Experts Network (Afri-Fishnet)	1,169
Youth Action in Agriculture Development	86	51

*Click figures to visit site/page

 

If you need to learn more on current aquaculture and fisheries development initiatives in Africa, fish trade, African fisheries experts’ network in Africa, youth for fish program, youth action in agriculture, and related developments visit any of our social media platforms or send an email to fishnode@yahoo.com.

 

Keep moving with the dynamic ICT strides for Agri-Impact!

Author: Thokozire Gwaza      Editor: Msekiwa Matsimbe

Opportunity! Become a Student Ambassador in Biosciences!

BioFISA II/SANBio is searching for Student ambassadors in Biosciences from any country in Southern Africa!. Apply Now. For more information, visit our website: http://www.nepadsanbio.org

For those in Malawi; Contact the NEPAD Fish Node, a SANBio node hosted at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) under the Aquaculture and Fisheries Science Department.

Download Advert!: SANBio student ambassador poster – Malawi

Opportunity! Become a Student Ambassador in Biosciences!

BioFISA II/SANBio is searching for Student ambassadors in Biosciences from any country in Southern Africa!. Apply Now. For more information, visit our website: http://www.nepadsanbio.org

For those in Malawi; Contact the NEPAD Fish Node, a SANBio node hosted at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) under the Aquaculture and Fisheries Science Department.

Download Advert!: SANBio student ambassador poster – Malawi

Masters Research Grant Opportunity: deadlines extended to 15th Sept 2015

The WorldFish Center with the funding from the European Commission (EC) has joined efforts with AU-IBAR and NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA), to implement a programme called “Improving Food Security and Reducing Poverty through Intra-regional Fish Trade in Sub-Saharan Africa” (also referred to as Fish Trade Program). The Fish Trade Program aims to improve food and nutritional security and reduce poverty in sub-Saharan Africa by enhancing the capacities of regional and pan-African organizations to support their member states to better integrate intra-regional fish trade into their development and food security policy agendas. The Program works within the four corridors in Africa (Western, Southern, Eastern and Central) aims to deliver on the following results:

• Generate information on the structure, products and value of intra-regional fish trade in food security in Sub Saharan Africa and make it available to stakeholders.
• Come up with a set of recommendations on policies, certification procedures, standards and regulations, and get them well embedded in national and regional fisheries, agricultural, trade and food security policy frameworks in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Enhance the capacities for trade amongst private sector associations, in particular of women fish processors and traders and aquaculture producers, to make better use of expanding trade opportunities through competitive small and medium scale enterprises; and
• Facilitate adoption and implementation of appropriate policies, certification procedures, standards and regulations by key stakeholders participating in intra-regional trade in the four trade corridors.

This program focuses on four main African trade corridors, in Western, Southern, Eastern and Central Africa. It is focused in three main areas namely to:

• Strengthen the evidence base for coherent policy development at national and regional levels,
• Support the formulation and implementation of appropriate policies, standards and regulatory frameworks to promote intra-regional fish trade, and
• Strengthen the capacity of private sector associations, in particular of women fish traders, to enhance the competitiveness of small- and medium-scale enterprises engaged in this trade.

The Program responds to the potential of Africa’s intra-regional fish trade in addressing the region’s food and nutrition insecurity, as well as poverty reduction through wealth creation which has been overlooked and neglected in national and regional policy. As a result, intra-regional fish trade has largely remained informal, with substantial volumes traded by artisanal and small – medium enterprises, mostly by women.

African Union and its Regional Economic Communities (RECs) have therefore prioritized strengthening of regional trade and have identified fish and fish products as key commodities for investment and policy support. This is evidenced in the African Union Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture document which clearly aims to “Promote responsible and equitable fish trade and marketing by significantly harnessing the benefits of Africa’s fisheries and aquaculture endowments through accelerated trade and marketing”.

Nature of Research Grant

This research grant forms part of the mentorship program which aims at building the capacities of the youth and young professionals in Africa through active engagement in the program implementation process. This is based on the assumption that there exists huge opportunity to generate volumes of data on fish trade in Africa, and the project offers opportunity to even generate more information which can be capitalized on to inform national and regional policies at the same time bring forth academic excellence to a number of individuals who can help in contributing to the development of Africa at large if their capacities are built.

Eligibility

It is expected that the candidates should be from AU Member states and should have completed their coursework in readiness for research from any SADC country university.

The students should be pursuing masters or have proven background in the following programs; Economics, Fisheries Economics, Agriculture Economics, International Trade and other related programs.

The candidate should be willing to undertake the study in the southern corridor and parts of eastern corridor, such as Rwanda at the minimum possible cost.

Selection Criteria

The selection of candidates shall be done through a rigorous exercise, consisting of independent reviewers. The basis of selection shall be made on academic merit obtained at Masters Coursework and evaluation of content of concept note.

How To Apply

The candidates must develop a five paged concept note together with their supervisors and must have an endorsement letter from their supervisors and should include the followingkey sections;

• Indicate the country in which the study will be undertaken
• Indicate the university of study, degree program being undertaken and indicative courses so far studied under this program
• Clearly indicate what they are going to do and how they are going to do it (proposed methodology)
• Linkage of academic study to overall fish trade project
• How their project will contribute towards achievement of their national developmental goals
• How they are going to collect data and analyze their data to ensure that the work is publishable and have an academic tone
• Expected Results
• An indicative budget for the whole study and workplan

Candidates shall be requested to attach transcripts from their masters course work and a letter of consent from supervisory committee.

The applications shall be addressed to

NEPAD Regional Fish Node

Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Box 219

Lilongwe

Malawi

Email: fishnode@yahoo.com with copies to: lisubby@gmail.com ;ekaunda@yahoo.com;

for more information Cell numbers; +265999378275 and +265 999 510 796

To reach not later than 12:00pm 15^th September 2015.