Progressive Regional Graduate Plant Breeding Training at Makerere University, Uganda

Makerere University (Uganda) innovatively trains plant-breeding graduate students. Coursework and practical skill development enables graduates to independently manage breeding programs meeting smallholder needs in Africa. AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa) and other partners have supported Makerere’s program since 2008, involving 58 PhD and 117 MSc students from 20 countries. These now hold relevant positions in the region. Within-region training improves contextualization and inter-regional cooperation, lowers cost, promotes retention of graduates, and maintains family and institutional relationships. Cooperation with national/international research organizations, and regional and US universities (Iowa State, Cornell, North Carolina State, UC-Riverside) strengthen the program.

Coursework was initiated for PhD’s and embraces molecular breeding. Intense, coordinated coursework includes social sciences and other skills. E-curriculum materials to enhance coursework have been developed by Iowa State University (“Plant Breeding E-Learning in Africa”), cooperating with Makerere, Kwame-Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (Ghana), University of KwaZulu-Natal (S Africa) and AGRA. AGRA sponsors MSc students, their internships, and an in-house cowpea breeding program. Students’ theses target critical regional needs, with most contributing to active cultivar development programs.

Challenges include students’ inadequate backgrounds, limited skills of independent study, reasoning and synthesis, compromised English, inadequate staffing, institutional politics, sub-optimal facilities, and insufficient supervision. Selecting students jointly with national educational and research institutions, and locating students, classes and research on the university farm have helped address the challenges.

Funding through World Bank’s African Centers of Excellence acknowledges and supports the success of Makerere’s Regional Center for Crop Improvement (MaRCCI).