Milestone hit: training 100 African agricultural researchers

The 100-student milestone was achieved with a new program which began in Nairobi on 5 November 2018, the fifth iteration of
the short course program since 2015, delivered by the University of Sydney in partnership with the University of Nairobi.

The short course is delivered entirely in Africa to achieve maximum relevance for the participants.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have trained over 100 Australia Awards Short Course participants: we are working with our partners to create a cadre of researchers who put the users of agricultural innovations at the heart of their research design and implementation, with impact as the driver for research,” said the course academic director, Professor Robyn McConchie, leader of the Quality Food Theme at the Sydney Institute of Agriculture.

The course focuses on practical strategies and approaches to improve the development impact of agricultural research and includes presenters from the University of Sydney, the University of Nairobi, the Australia Africa Universities Network, Egerton University, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), the World Agroforestry Centre.

New partners for this new course include the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) and the World Vegetable Center (AVRDC) and private sector partners RealIPM and SoilCares.

The Australia Awards are funded by the Australian Government and managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Australia Awards Short Courses develop the capacity and leadership skills of professionals so they can contribute more effectively to development in their home countries.

View this video to see the last cohort’s work in Nairobi in March 2018 as part of the third Australia Africa Agricultural Research Symposium, conducted as a component of the Australia Awards short course: