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Master of Environmental Studies (Agroforestry and Rural Development)

Code and Overview

In the first year of study, students will take at least ten units, six of which will be听Core听and four听Electives.听In the second year of study, students will carry out a field research and submit a thesis for examination. Students will be required to attend seminars and present at least two critique papers in areas related to Agroforestry and rural Development. The courses/units offered are presented in Table 1.

 

Table 1:听Courses /Units Offered for the Programme

Sn Unit code and Title
听 Year 1
听 Core units
1 ESU 800: Statistics
2 ESU 801: Research Methods
3 EFA 800: Agroforestry Systems
4 EFA 801: Multipurpose Trees, Shrubs and Nursery Technology
5 EFA 802: Community Participation in Natural Resources Management
6 EFA 805: Economics of Land and Water Resource Management
7 EFA 806: Soil Management and Productivity in Agroforestry
听 Electives
8 EFA 803: Forest Resources and Development
9 EFA 807: Agricultural Systems and Climatic Responses
10 EFA 808: Management of Cropping Systems
11 EFA 809: Rural Economic Development and Gender Issues
12 EFA 810 Ecology of Agronomic Crop
13 EFA812: Modelling and Simulation of Agroforestry Systems
14 ESU 802: Environmental Impact Assessment and Audit
  Year 2
15 EFA 813: Thesis (Equivalent to 10 units)

 

Rationale of the Programme

Agroforestry as a land use system holds the potential in solving many of the social, economic, cultural and environmental challenges currently facing the world. Agroforestry practices are important in sustainable ecosystem management and conservation, and for provision of many tree related benefits and services. In particular, trees on farms boost land productivity, increase farm incomes, improve food security, and alleviate pressures on natural forests. They also play a big role in meeting the increasing demand of forest products, and addressing the declining ecological services associated with tree cover. Agroforestry provides an opportunity for tree farming on private land to provide wood and non-wood forest products, improve agricultural productivity, food security, water conservation, and many other socio-economic benefits of trees. Facilitation of the up-scaling of the adoption of agroforestry and innovation is therefore very important. The effectiveness of agroforestry practice at the farmers鈥� fields depends on the amount of knowledge the farmers have on different agroforestry technologies. The understanding of agroforestry is evolving very rapidly with new topics emerging very often. The field of agroforestry is also very complex, because it embraces several traditional sectors: agriculture, animal husbandry and forestry. Developing human resource capacity to impart agroforestry knowledge and skills to enhance agroforestry adoption and innovation is therefore a very vital link in the development of agroforestry. There is therefore a need for constant updating of the curricula to keep up with changes that are happening within the agroforestry and rural development field.

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Objective

The programme of Master of Environmental Studies (Agroforestry and Rural Development) seeks to equip agroforestry graduates with the necessary competences, values and attitudes for managing and conserving agroforestry resources. By the end of the programme it is expected that the graduates should be able to:

  • Employ sound knowledge and skills in analysing, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating agroforestry and rural development initiatives.
  • Show good interpersonal skills, resourcefulness and integrity in management and promotion of Agroforestry and rural development programmes.
  • Mobilize, sensitize and train communities and other stakeholders in appropriate Agroforestry technologies, practices and innovations for profitable farm production, and optimum other Agroforestry related benefits.
  • Undertake research and innovation in Agroforestry and rural development.

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Mode of Delivery of the Programme

The course is offered through blended learning.

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Admission Requirements for the Programme

Applicants for the Master of Environmental Studies (Agroforestry and Rural Development) must hold a Bachelor鈥檚 degree with First-Class Honors or Second-Class Honors (Upper Division) degrees or their equivalent in Environmental Studies, Forestry, Agriculture, Biological Sciences, Social Sciences and any other relevant degree from a recognized university. For holders of Second Class (Lower Division) degree in the above-mentioned areas they will be expected to have evidence of at least two years of relevant work experience.

 

Fee Structure

Full Time; Fees ksh.295,800; Non East Africans ksh.369,750 p.a

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Career Opportunities

Our graduates find employment in a wide range of organisations in both the private and public sectors. Majority of our graduates are certified and licensed EIA Lead Experts with the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), and many others have made successful careers as local and global consultants in agroforestry, climate change and sustainability and other related disciplines.