Over the last decade Africangovernments’ and regional economic organizations haveincreasingly recognized the need to reshape higheragricultural education to meet the changing needs of theagri-food sector. There is a strong appetite for change buta need for a better understanding of the challenges thatuniversities face in transforming into institutions that canbe more dynamic and responsive, especially to the needs ofthe private sector, that is more relevant by the publicsector and meet the rapidly growing demand for universityplaces. The study is being prepared at a time when the WorldBank along with other development partners are consideringpossible approaches to address these challenges. It followsregional dialogue on this theme in Africa in recent yearsinvolving African governments, regional agro-innovation andeducation networks including Regional Universities Forum forCapacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), under theumbrella of the African Union Comprehensive AfricanAgricultural Development Program. (CAADP). The study isstructured as follows: section two describes the role ofhigher agricultural education in the wider agro-innovationsystem and the means through which higher education candrive transformation of the agri-food sector and economicdevelopment in Africa; section three describes global trendsin agriculture that will drive changes in employers’knowledge and skills needs; section four describes theimplications of these trends for skill and knowledge needs;section five describes the core challenges that universitiesface in transforming to be more responsive to needs; and thefinal section six provides recommendations on reforms andinvestments to strengthen higher education in Africa.
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