The Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) is one of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (Ruforum) second triennial conference in Windhoek, Namibia. 

The conference, which has opened this morning, is being held under the theme Operationalising Higher Agricultural Education and Research Ecosystems for Innovation, Industrialisation, and Economic Development in Africa, will end on Friday, August 16, 2024.

According to RUFORUM, the conference aims to transform agriculture in Africa through innovative scientific research, educational and training approaches. 

"As the need to feed a growing population continues to grow, we must collectively reflect on the role of Higher Agricultural education in Africa – both technically as well as in person – to mitigate new challenges and tap on new opportunities," it says.

Over the next five days, participants will discuss some of these challenges and opportunities with a focus on the conference's theme.

Before the conference opening this morning, participants held side events, especially related to the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa's Growth and Development (TAGDev 2.0) project which is implemented by 12 Ruforum member universities, including MUST.

TAGDev 2.0 is a second generation project from the one that was piloted at Gulu University in Uganda and Egerton University in Kenya since 2016.

TAGDev seeks to skill young people, women, internally displaced people and refugees to enable them run agri-based businesses and make a contribution towards national economies while uplifting their livelihoods.