Emphasize practicals in agriculture studies, universities urged

Universities offering agriculture courses have been asked to emphasize practicals in order to produce students who are practical and can transform the country.

The call was made by Dr. Jee Hyeong-Jin, the coordinator of the Chonbuk National University Masters' Program in Uganda, also overseeing the setup of the National Farmers Leadership Center (NFLC) at Kampiringisa, Mpigi district.

This was during an orientation workshop for students who have been offered full sponsorship for a Master's degree in Animal science at Chonbuk University, in South Korea.

In the first year of the program, students will go through class work and then in the second year, they will be taken through practicals on the farm and industry to put into practice what they will have learnt in class, he said.

"The aim is to produce students who are practical and can start up their own small processing units in their communities and also teach them best practices in animal husbandry," said Dr. Jee.

The team overseeing the project and working at NFLC. (Credit: Prossy Nandudu)

According to Dr. Lee Hak Kyo, director of the Animal Molecular Genetics and Breeding Center at Chonbuk National University, most students graduate with Maters programs in agriculture with no practical skills that can help the country achieve its agriculture transformation agenda.

"We want to raise students who are practical and are not going to look for jobS or look at government for employment. We want to raise young leaders who will develop the country through agriculture," he added.

At the NFLC workshop, students were oriented on what the course entails, how to behave while in South Korea and also what is expected of them while at university, and in the processing industry units where they will be attached.

The first group comprised of 12 students from Makerere University will leave for South Korea on February 25, 2017.

These were selected by department heads of Veterinary and Agriculture sciences.