CONCEPT PAPER

FOR

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF

THE FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

AT

WALTER SISULU UNIVERSITY

MTHATHA, EASTERN CAPE

Submitted to:

WSU SENATE AND COUNCIL PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Date:10 APRIL 2009

PREPARED BY FOUNDING TASK TEAM

Professor : L. Obi, Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Academic Affairs Professor : P.N. Luswazi, Director, Centre for Rural DevelopmentProfessor : S. Songca, Executive Dean, Faculty of Science and Engineering Professor : N.Jumbam, Director of School of Environmental Sciences, WSU Dr : I.Lwanga Iga, Manager, Animal Diseases Surveillance Unit and Export Control, Department of Agriculture Eastern Cape ProvinceProfessor : B.Nakani, Professor of Inorganic ChemistryMrs : N.Sangqu, Manager, Agricultural Education and Training and Quality Assurance, Department of Agriculture, Eastern Cape ProvinceMr : H. Ntsabo, Principal, Tsolo Institute for Rural Development and Agriculture

ASSIGNED BY

Professor : M.M. Balintulo Vice Chancellor Walter Sisulu University Hon. MEC : G. Nkwinti, Provincial Department of Agriculture

CONTACT PERSONS

Professor : Larry ObiD.V.C Research and Academic Affairs WSU.

Professor : P.N. LuswaziDirector Centre for Rural Development WSU

Who/What Inspires WSU?

The following thoughts from African and International Renown Scholars have served as a point of departure and inspiration for WSU staff and Students in their

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Transformation towards a Comprehensive and Developmental University. It is in this context and in furthering such goals that the establishment of a new faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies has emerged.

Underdevelopment is one of the most difficult problems in the world... and the greater the problem the higher the need for scientific enquiry. There is therefore a dire need for vibrant research universities that are located in the periphery to conduct such enquiry.

Jürgen Zimmer (2001) (German Scholar)

The changing environment thus calls for profound reforms of institutional structures and study programmes as well as of the means and methods of teaching, training and learning. But this does not rest the debate on the mission and role of the African university. There are still serious “prevailing uncertainties surrounding the concept of a university mission-the form it can profitably take, how to secure it, how it should be owned by all concerned and, thereby, inspire sound management and have the best chance of being successfully accomplished”

(UNESCO1992)”.

The university needs to have the self-confidence to say that rural development is an area that provides opportunities for a high level of intellectual development.

This should not be an issue because the problems posed in rural development are complex and challenging and require that the best intellects develop innovative and creative research to assist in their resolution.

(Quote: CRD Director)(Interpreting Ajayi)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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This document sets out a proposal by Walter Sisulu University for the establishment of a Faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies which will incorporate utilization of the existing Tsolo Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development Institute and the Mthatha Dam Aquaculture Complex.

South Africa has to respond to the pressure of Colonial/ Apartheid legacies as well as to the current economic globalization. The effects of this pressure sip into the underlying social and economic strata and require urgent and effective response to national and local social disparities. The new South African dispensation has recognized this inevitable trend of events and it has become increasingly clear that institutions of higher learning will have to adjust themselves beyond the roles they played in the past, and embrace the ever increasing developmental challenges of the present.

This call was articulated in the 2001 National Plan for Higher Education, a policy framework of the Department of Education that required all Higher Education Institutions in South Africa to take cognizance of their location, revisit their old missions and render them more responsive to the new South African national development needs. WSU responded by taking its environmental context into account and ascribed to itself the new identity of a “Developmental University” with Rural Development and Urban Renewal as major niche areas for teaching, research and community development service. This Developmental vision cannot be realized without Agricultural and Development studies.

The step of establishing a new faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies in addition to the 4 existing faculties (Health Science, Science and Engineering, Business, Management Sciences and Law and Education) is appropriate as the Eastern Cape is one of the poorest regions in South Africa with most of its population living as subsistence farmers in rural areas. Agricultural production is low and few farmers are in a position to sell surplus produce. Deforestation, soil erosion and over-grazing are common problems. Migrant labour resulted in a labour drain as men who possessed a vast portion of agricultural skills and knowledge were drawn out of agriculture. Closely linked to deterioration of Agriculture was alienation of rural populations from indigenous knowledge and practices pertaining to food security. Forced removals uprooted the commercial Black farmers and farming life patterns of the past in areas such as Griqualand East.

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It is clear that this region faces a significant challenge in producing sufficient high quality food for its population while at the same time maintaining and enhancing the integrity of its natural resources, particularly soil and water. Farmer support and training programs are essential for improving productivity through better agricultural practices. Appropriately trained agriculturalists and highly skilled researchers are required to conduct scientific enquiry, and produce knowledge and skills that are capable of addressing these difficult problems of underdevelopment in the rural periphery. The University believes that this can best be achieved by the establishment of a Faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies to serve primarily the eastern part of the Province.

Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute should review its activities and identify those areas that need urgent attention in order to meet the impending challenges. Changes need to be brought about in the farmer training programs implemented thus far. A more Agri-business approach will propel the institution to greater heights, as trainees will be equipped with skills that allow them to take up responsible positions in the public, private and non-governmental sectors locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Such a goal can easily be reached by taking up partnerships with and outside the education and training sector. Tsolo Institute will embark vigorously on the promotion of a culture of application of knowledge and of learning with learner-centeredness as the epicenter. Such measures will go a long way to enhance an active freethinking mind necessary for applied scholarship.

The Facility Will House The Following Schools :

1. Animal Production and Veterinary Science2. Agrarian Economics and Agri-Business3. Environmental and Land Studies4. Development Studies5. Crop Production and Soil Science6. Agricultural Engineering

The Proposed Model and Curriculum Issues

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The proposal advances a model that will allow the utilization of the existing facilities at Tsolo and the Mthatha Dam with facilities at the WSU campus in Nelson Mandela Drive, Mthatha facilities of the engineering department of the faculty of Science and Engineering in East London and to develop these into a Faculty which will provide comprehensive agricultural training for the region. In proposing the utilization of facilities at Tsolo Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development, WSU basis its proposal on the recommendations that were made by Van Niekerk in his work on the future of Agricultural Colleges in South Africa which was assigned to him by the National Department of Agriculture. Basing his recommendations largely on German and Australian models, Van Niekerk proposed that Agricultural Colleges should be upgraded and attached to Universities.

For Veterinary Sciences WSU will make use of the active twinning arrangement between the Eastern Cape Province and Lower Saxony in Germany. This partnership has led to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) initiated by the Provincial Department of Agriculture that involves the University of Hanover, Deula Agricultural Institute and Walter Sisulu University. Plans are underway for shared Veterinary courses part of which would be done in Hanover. There is evidence that many schools in Africa were started with the “Sandwich” arrangement.

The curriculum will comprise a four year program ranging from basic training in the major natural scientific disciplines and relevant social sciences to more advanced courses specific to agriculture. The emphasis will be on practical training to enable graduates to function in the local environment and to render effective extension services to rural farmers. The proposed course also makes provision for a multi-exit system in which intermediate qualifications, including certificates and diplomas, may be obtained through shorter periods of study. The introduction of more advanced offerings, such as food technology, as well as post graduate programs, will be considered when appropriate. Some closely related courses such as Rural Resource Management, Nutrition, Water and Water-related diseases will be located at the Centre for Rural Development and be offered in collaboration with that unit.

When fully operational the faculty will have 6 Schools offering courses from 1st to 4th

year. Initially facilities in the Faculty of Science will be used but after the second year of operation it is expected that the new faculty will have an operational plan that will cover all aspects of practical farming and the use therefore of Tsolo Institute becomes appropriate. Obviously a development of this nature has

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significant financial implications. Provision must be made for Lecturing, laboratory and computer lab staff at the envisaged level as well as Administration and technical staff. In addition office and laboratory facilities as well as the associated equipment must be provided for.

In addition to traditional agriculture subjects it is also the intention to provide training in aspects in integrated Aquaculture/Agriculture using the existing facilities at both Tsolo and the Mthatha Dam Complex. Aquaculture offers the potential for the production of high quality food at relatively low cost with the possibility of involving local communities in fish production in outlying farm dams. At present research funds are provided by the Foundation for Research Development however these funds are not earmarked for running the facility.

Tripartite Alliance as Driver and About the Founding Task Team

In pursuing the above agenda WSU has gone out far and wide to find like minded partners in government, higher education, business, politics and Communities. A key partner in this is the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Agriculture.A tripartite alliance involving the Walter Sisulu University (WSU), the Tsolo Institute for Agricultural and Rural Development (TARDI), and the Eastern Cape Provincial Government Department of Agriculture has emerged as a key driver of such an agenda

The formulation of this concept document was assigned to the task team by the Vice Chancellor of WSU Prof. Marcus Balintulo and the Provincial Honourable MEC for Agriculture, Mr Gugile Nkwinti. It has been preceded by intensive collaborative meetings and consultations involving committed experienced and multi-disciplinary professional expertise from Walter Sisulu University, Provincial Department of Agriculture and Tsolo Institute for Agriculture and Rural Development. In so doing the 3 institutions are also carrying out a mandate given to them by Eastern Cape Stakeholders who, during the past 3 WSU Annual Rural Development Conferences have passed a resolution urging the university to work towards the establishment of a Faculty of Agriculture to produce knowledge and skills that are urgently needed to address the deteriorated agricultural conditions in the region.

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Walter Sisulu University is honoured and motivated by the mandate given to it by regional stakeholders including the Provincial Government of the Eastern Cape to drive the process of conceptualization and establishment of a faculty that has the potential to become a Centre of Excellence producing unique and innovative scientifically based knowledge and models in the areas of Agriculture and Rural Development.

RATIONAL FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AT WSU

The University is well placed to contribute to agricultural development and training in the Eastern side of the Eastern Cape region as it is situated in an area not serviced by existing Faculties of Agriculture. Although Fort Hare has had a Faculty of Agriculture for over 100 years the impact of the faculty in the Eastern side of Eastern Cape is minimal. The two universities are 400 km apart and located in different climatic zones. Disadvantaged families cannot afford to send their children to an agricultural institute that is so far. Also the majority of disadvantaged farmers and communities who can gain access to WSU due to its proximity cannot afford the distance to Fort Hare both in terms of time and expense.

The Eastern Cape is said to be the poorest province in South Africa and like most of the country faces a significant challenge in producing sufficient high quality food for its population, while maintaining and enhancing its natural resources, especially soil and water. In his writings and speeches Herbert Vilakazi speaks of a “Food Crisis which is linked to a health crisis” It is essential that extension services be provided to support farmers in the region

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to enable them to improve their productivity through better agricultural practices.

The university sees a need for scientific research based interventions to produce the required knowledge and skills to address these problems. A prerequisite for this is the training of well qualified agriculturalists. WSU’s aspiration to establish a training facility which will incorporate the existing Tsolo Agricultural College and the Mthatha Dam Aquaculture Complex will provide comprehensive agricultural training for the region.

The need to transform Tsolo College of Agriculture is quite in line with the new focus on Rural Development which is currently envisaged by government. There is a need to redesign curriculum and move from a purely teaching college to a research, integrated agriculture and rural development, Higher Education Institution.

The close proximity between the two institutions makes such a partnership easier and cost effective as both serve the same rural community. Tsolo Institute for Rural Development and Agriculture has an underutilized infrastructure and enough land for a demonstration farm. The model to be developed does not create a new institution from scratch but builds on what is available in terms of experience and infrastructure. The old Partnership between Tsolo College and the University should be resuscitated in the interest of both parties and the Province.

The draft Provincial Rural Development Strategy currently being designed by ECSECC foregrounds Agrarian transformation and the Green Revolution as the main programme for transformation. Agriculture and Development Studies position WSU very well to participate in the implementation of this strategy and also drawing from the experience of the WSU Centre for Rural Development has made since 2005.

WSU has a very active partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding with Mhlontlo Local Municipality where Tsolo Institute is located. Already a number of pilot community development projects of the university are in that municipality e.g. – a health clinic of the Faculty of Health Sciences, a soap making cooperative in Mhlakulo, linked to the CRD and Department of Chemistry and a pilot programme in Integrated Sustainable Rural

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Development (ISRD) which if it is successful will give birth to a unique model in ISRD which can be rolled out nationwide.

The new faculty will specialize in applied research focusing on the vast land that is lying fallow and livelihoods of impoverished communities who as a result of long years of migrant labour have become alienated from their land. The new faculty will also promote research, on innovation, application and mainstreaming of related areas such as appropriate technology and Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

Tsolo Agricultural College is situated in the neighborhood of unexploited natural resources which includes Forestry Elangeni Forests, Khoisan Caves with paintings huge river basins and Tsitsa Waterfalls. The faculty will contribute to development of rural entrepreneurship to support rural communities in their fight against poverty and disease, unemployment. It will help the 2½ millions especially in the Eastern side of the Eastern Cape to rediscover themselves as a proud people whose heritage and livelihood has historically been shaped by their closeness to the land and its productivity.

INSTITUTIONAL HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO PROPOSAL FOR NEW FACULTYMandate of WSUWSU has a clear perception of its mandate in the new South African dispensation. While maintaining the traditional role of a University as a centre of higher learning and theoretical and other intellectual enquiry, it understands itself as playing a larger and more specific role defined by Yusuf (1973) as that of a Developmental University, thus ascribing to itself the imperative of making a significant contribution to local, regional, national and continental development.

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The outcome should be production of knowledge that is relevant to development and creation of a new kind of graduate who can understand and respond to problems of poverty and underdevelopment. Recognizing therefore its setting in a predominantly rural and economically poor region, WSU has refocused the missions of its merged institutions, Border and Eastern Cape Technikons and the University of Transkei, to address in its teaching, research and community development work specific needs of rural and peri-urban areas. Further, the quality of life including Agricultural production in the region in which WSU is located has so deteriorated that the institution sees a need for urgent innovative, scientific and research-based interventions. Looked at from the broader context of Pan African Scholarship, the WSU/CRD in terms of its purpose and long term vision is also a response to a call that has been repeatedly made by the African political and academic leadership and clearly articulated by J.F. Ade Ajayi in his analysis of the African Experience with Higher Education:

“The practice of African universities of simply defining their mission in terms of the

three functions of teaching, research and public service is inadequate for the future. There

is great need for these universities to go beyond mere pronouncements about their

mission; they should set themselves certain fundamental and unambiguous goals to be

targeted for accomplishment within a realistic and targeted time frame consonant with their

capacity and capabilities; and to determine the strategies for their achievement. This

requires clear vision of the mission and of the action that has to be undertaken; and it must

be approached with the conviction, determination and singleness of purpose with which (i)

missionaries went out of Europe in the nineteenth century with a mission to follow the

clearly defined path of duty at any and all hazards, convinced that it was necessary for

them to go and with which Anti Colonial – Anti Apartheid Liberation freedom fighters took

up the mission of Liberating their oppressed people and (ii) an entire industry in the United

States had a mission to put a man on the moon within ten years, clearly articulated, and

forcefully and suitably presented to those who had to carry it out.” (UNESCO, 1992)

WSU – VisionWalter Sisulu University (WSU) will be a leading African comprehensive university focusing on innovative educational, research and community partnership programmes that are responsive to local, regional, national development priorities, and cognisant of continental and international development imperatives.

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WSU Mission

In pursuit of its vision as a developmental university, WSU will:

Provide an educationally vibrant and enabling environment that is conducive

to the advancement of quality academic, moral, cultural and technological learner-centered education for holistic intellectual empowerment, growth and effective use of information;

Provide and maintain the highest possible standards in innovative learning and teaching, research (community-based and applied research) and community partnerships in cooperation with development agencies, the public and private sectors;

Provide affordable, appropriate, career-focused and professional

programmes that address rural development and urban renewal with primary emphasis on science, technology and development studies;

Create a new generation of highly-skilled graduates capable of understanding and addressing complex societal challenges, with critical scholarly and entrepreneurial attributes grounded on morally sound work ethics and responsible leadership.

FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE PROGRAMME AND QUALIFICATION MIX

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PROJECTION INTO THE FUTURE 2008 – 2013, 5 YEAR PLAN

The following extract is drawn from the WSU Institutional Operational Plan (IOP) which serves as a basis and point of departure for the strategic planning of the Centre for Rural Development:

“WSU will develop a new Programme and Qualification Mix (PQM). The existing

PQM has been inherited from the heritage institutions. The vision of a developmental

university cannot and will not be achieved unless the university reviews its PQM. As

a response to the vision and mission of the university, a new PQM of WSU will be

developed in 2008. Once the PQM is approved, the curriculum content of

programmes will be restructured to ensure that it addresses the desired outcomes as

defined by the mission of the university. The PQM will be supported by research that

is focused on the identified niche areas of Rural and Urban Development.

The restructuring of the PQM will involve discontinuing certain programmes and

narrowing the offerings in certain areas, and introducing new ones that the new PQM

to be introduced by 2009 might require”

(Institutional Operating Plan, 5 December 2007).

Mandate for Centre for Rural Development for New Faculty from WSU Senate As Highest Academic Body and from Council as Governing Body

Resolutions of Senate and CouncilInstitutional Location and Role of Centre for Rural Development.The following resolutions were passed unanimously at the 2nd 2008 meeting of Senate and Council.

Centre for Rural Development as springboard for New Faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies.

Drawing from the experience and wide network the Centre for Rural Development has gained in the past 3 years since its establishment in

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March 2006, the CRD will in the period 2008-2013 serve as a springboard for the innovative creation of a new Faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies;

After the establishment of the new faculty the Centre for Rural Development will remain a University wide distinct and unique unit.

CRD will spear head innovative rural development research and offer post graduate and capacity building programmes;

Urban Renewal, a new South African paradigm that still needs to be interrogated, explored through research and shaped into innovative academic programmes will (for a while at least) be a unit within the CRD;

This process will require its own expertise as well as networking with relevant policy makers.

Major Niche Areas for CRD Academic Qualifications (Research, Post Graduate, Electives, Foundation Courses and Capacity Building Courses)

Curriculum at CRD will be developed in collaboration with New Faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies with who, there will be cross fertilization and informed by the following academic areas:

Poverty Studies; Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Rural Resource Management (includes Research and Conversion of

Natural Resources into Assets); International Rural Development Models; Rural Enterprise Development; Knowledge Management: Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Heritage

Studies; Water and Health Related Research; Rural Research and Policy Studies; Rural Women Research and Development Studies; Nutrition and Nutrition Policy Studies.

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External Capacity Building Capacity building in Integrated Sustainable Rural Development (ISRD) (Co

ops and CDW’s training and Mentoring); Public Dialogue on Rural Development – Annual Rural Development

Conference.

THE ORIGINS OF ESTABLISHMENT OF FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AT WSU

The idea of establishing a Faculty of Agriculture at WSU has been under discussion for a long time and such considerations can be traced back to the pre merger phase when various models of collaboration between the former University of Transkei and Tsolo Agricultural College were explored. What underpinned these measures were transformatory policy imperatives of the National Plan for Higher Education which as indicated in the Executive Summary required Higher Education Institutions to recreate and reposition themselves in order to respond to national regional development needs of the new South African dispensation.

A decisive step was taken during the month of November 2001/02, when 28 stakeholder representatives (academic and non academic staff and students) of the University of Transkei gathered at the BASS studio and produced a document that became known as “The New Model”. Led by Executive representatives (DVC and Registrar Academic) they worked day and night deliberating and debating the idea of a “new” academic model that would respond to the societal demands of the new South Africa. Of the various possible models that were examined, stakeholders finally reached consensus that the University should take its rural underdeveloped environmental context into account and focus on Rural Development as a major niche area to be reflected in Teaching, Research and Community Development Service. The “New Model” was then called “The University of Transkei for Science Technology and Rural Development”.

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The burning question that arose was how the University could transform itself to a Centre of Excellence in Rural Development without Rural Development and Agricultural Studies. When this question was put to top officials in the National Department of Agriculture, the former Director General Ms. Bongiwe Njobe drew the attention of the stakeholder representation to Department of Agriculture study by van Niekerk. In this study which focused on the future of Agricultural Institutions in the new South African dispensation, van Niekerk draws from Australian and German models of Agricultural H.E. Institutions and proposes that Colleges of Agriculture in South Africa should be upgraded and then attached to Universities in order to capacitate them to produce the urgently required agricultural knowledge and technical skills at different levels. Since then Tsolo collaborated with the university implementing a short or long term strategy.

The short term strategy involved: Collaboration with Faculty of Science on the foundation course to give Tsolo

students access to IT and Science Laboratory Facilities at the University. Collaboration on the BSc in Pest Management.

The long term strategy involved: working towards implementation of the Van Niekerk proposal to see Tsolo

upgraded and attached to the University. Right from the beginning those collaborative activities received support from the Provincial Department of Agriculture.

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WSU: a developmental university...technological · scientific · innovative · responsive

Walter Sisulu has thus deemed it fit to add Agricultural and Development Studies to enable this Comprehensive University to become a major resource Centre for Regional/ National Development

The proposed Institutional model foresees:

WSU with four faculties viz: Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology, Faculty of Business, Management, Sciences and Law, Faculty Education

Establishment of the Centre for Rural Development whose mission is to be a Centre of Excellence that serves as an engine to drive transformation of teaching, research and community service, enabling WSU as a developmental university to become a major resource for Africa’s development.

Strong linkages to the external communities to enable Community Based Participatory Research and Service Learning

Long term vision of seeing Tsolo Agricultural College upgraded and attached to WSU as part of the new Faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies.

INTEGRATION WITH TSOLO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS

The success of a Faculty of Agriculture at WSU will depend not only on working effectively with other faculties within the institution but also with outside institutions.

Tsolo Agricultural College is located relatively close to the Mthatha campus of WSU. The campus has teaching facilities, an area of land, agricultural facilities, staff and is a provider of agricultural education.

Working in association with Tsolo would provide several advantages including the opportunity to share staff. Students who perform well in the courses offered by Tsolo could be given the opportunity to undertake degree level studies if the courses are appropriately aligned.

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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO TSOLO INSTITUTE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

TSOLO COLLEGE UNDER THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA AND TRANSKEI HOMELAND 1910-1914

Tsolo Agricultural College was established in 1904, under the auspices of the United Transkei Territorial General Council (TTGC), to harness and exploit the enormous agriculture and natural resources of the region. Its objective was to serve as a training centre for farmers and farm labourers until it was concerted to a School of Agriculture in 1913. As a school of agriculture its aim was to train young farmers in all aspects of crop and livestock farming and to prepare them for employment by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Between 1910 and 1951 there were three Agricultural schools in Transkei:- Tsolo, Teko and Flagstaff. Teko and Flagstaff were subsequently closed and agricultural training in Transkei region was centralized at Tsolo Agricultural College.

Between 1913 and 1974 Tsolo College had an average annual intake of 31 learners and an average annual output of 13 learners. The minimum entry requirement for admission was standard VI. In 1955 this requirement was raised to standard 8 from 1986, aggregate symbol E was made an additional requirement.

The duration of a 2 year was raised to 2.5 years. In the same year the stock Inspector’s course was introduced with two study programmes, namely Agricultural Extension and Stock Inspection. The teaching and training methods used during this period were oriented towards skills development. Most of the farm work was done by learners with little attention given to theoretical aspects of the Agricultural Training.

From 1975 training at Tsolo College was reviewed so that training programmes consisted of equal proportions of practical and theory. In 1980 the Development Officers’ course was introduced. This lead to three directions of study, namely, Extension, Stock Inspection and Development Course (s).

Between 1975 and 1980 the College adapted new objectives and focus in its training programmes. These stated as:-

(i) To train suitable candidates for employment as Agricultural Field officers for the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, as well as other Agricultural Development Organisations.

(ii) To provide In-service training to officers in the Department of Agriculture and other organizations.

(iii) To conduct short courses for farmers.

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Tsolo College was granted a long term loan by the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) for purposes of upgrading the institutions infrastructure. The structures that were upgraded included the administration building, lecture halls, library, laboratories, hostels, kitchen, dining halls, farm building, livestock handling facilities, irrigation facilities workshop. The construction of upgraded facilities began in 1989 and was completed in 1992.

TSOLO IN THE NEW SOUTH AFRICAN DISPENSATION 1994-2009

Until 1994 the college was solely administered by the now defunct Transkei Department of Agriculture of the Transkei Homeland. After the1994 general elections and the establishment of the Eastern Cape Province, the college came under the administration of the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs, through its Directorate of Agriculture Education & Training (AET).

In 1988 Tsolo Agricultural College had become an affiliate college of the University of Transkei (UNITRA). This affiliation was aimed at improving and monitoring the academic programmes and standards of Tsolo College. Since the affiliation College Diplomas are issued by WSU at present the college is offering three diploma programmes. The duration of the diploma programmes was increased from 2.5 to 3 years in 1988. In the year 2001, a Unitra/Tsolo College partnership was signed to cater for joint use of infrastructural and human resource facilities with a view of strengthening on rural development. Along with this training opportunities have been opened to agriculture Diploma graduates to further their studies at higher education institutions.

Location

Tsolo College is situated approximately 43km from Umtata to the South, 157km from Kokstad to the North and 59km from Maclear to the west. According to the new demarcation, Tsolo College is situated at Mhlontlo Municipality under the District Municipality of O.R. Tambo in the Eastern Cape.

Existing Infrastructure

The college farm is 900ha. It comprises 755ha of grazing land which is paddocked for grazing purposes and for arable farming on a dry land basis, 24 hectares are under gravitational irrigation from the Xhokonxa and Bedlana streams, the latter running through the college farm. 15ha. are utilized for vegetable production. A wide range of livestock is kept for breeding and training purposes.

Its mandate has been changed since 2002 its declared and designated as Agricultural Development Institution which provides farmer development, rural development and adaptive research programmes.

Transformation from Tsolo College to the Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development

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New Mandate and New Vision

Since 2002 the mandate of Tsolo College was changed by the Eastern Cape Provincial Government from a conventional training institute producing extension officers with Diplomas and Certificates to an Agricultural Development Institute that acts primarily as a resource centre to facilitate and enhance agricultural capacity building of farmers and rural communities.

The pronouncement by the MEC Max Mamase in 2001 to declare Tsolo a centre of excellence, transformed this institution from an academic institution to an institute providing the following:

agriculture business tailor made farmer training, in-service training for farmers and rural community organisations, rural development and applied research, Internship and mentoring programs to learners and graduates from higher

education institutions. The name was changed from Tsolo Agriculture College to Tsolo Agriculture and Rural development Institute.

The vision of the Institute is to provide tailor made agricultural business skills and programs in rural development, technology development and natural resource management to the farming community.

Tsolo Institute sees itself as a dynamic Training and Capacity building institution which:-

Promotes and instill Entrepreneurial skills in farming communities. Develops and adapts effective agricultural research suitable for the area. Creates awareness and encourage agri-business elements in the farming

communities.

Ongoing Programmes

Farmer Development

The Institute currently offers different skills training programmes ranging from crops, livestock, machinery implements and home economics.

Target Groups

Farmers who are either organized or interested groups in the O.R. Tambo and Alfred Nzo District Municipalities. Special attention is given to empowerment capacity building of women and youth.

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Admission Requirements In order to be admitted to skills development programmes, the following requirement should be fullfilled:

Applicants must be members of ongoing agricultural projects such as agricultural cooperatives.

Projects must be registered with government departments and non governmental organizations.

Applications /project members must be visited (prior to training) in order to confirm their existence and level of development.

Interest groups are also considered for training. Other requirements set out by technical training will be taken into

consideration for registration of participants:-I. Must be admitted and informed accordingly after the pre-training visit

and II. Must complete registration form (appendix II) and submit it to the college

Administration on registration day.

Training Methods

Lectures linked to demonstrations at the institute farm. Hands on training/ practicals constitute the largest proportion during the

period of attendance of farmer skills development/training courses. Experiential learning on successful farms. Excursions or visits to other farms with technological advanced equipment for

exposure. Off-site training on pilot projects. Advanced courses are mainly administered at the institute.

Courses and Duration

Courses of five (5) days offered by both technical and Home economics sections:- Broiler production Egg production Pig production Vegetable production Field crop production Calibration and maintenance of equipment and machinery. Food preservation Basic baking

Courses of ten (10) days training period offered by the Home Economics Section of College:-

Basic sewing (soft furnishings) Garment construction Advanced sewing Quantity catering

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Farmer Skills Development Courses Of One (1) Or Two (2) Days Are Offered By The Agricultural Economics Unit Of The College:-

Economic aspects of agricultural business Entrepreneurship

The above mentioned courses complement both technical and Home Economics courses, and are therefore offered to all participants who have attended either a technical or Home Economics courses.

Applied research

Research is needs driven, commodity based and adapted to suite the needs of the farming community to the region.

Focal areas Food security, extension methodology ,trade and marketing of agricultural and home industry products.

Research and demonstration trials are established through networking with existing and interested institutions.

Rural Development

Models are crafted by the Tsolo institutes’ technical staff based on interests of farming communities and resources available. Success stories are tested for bench marking and adapted within the institute environment.

Programs are piloted through local communities to stimulate agricultural activities. Development models are also adjusted based on community interests. Farming communities are linked with other service providers.

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL POLICY IMPERATIVES FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

The establishment of this faculty is a response to international, national and provincial policy imperatives viz:

The National Plan for Higher Education Framework of 2001 required that Higher Education Institutions revisit their missions and adjust them to respond to regional/national development needs.

The compelling mission vision and mission of WSU as a Developmental University positions this institution therefore as a major Resource Centre for

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Regional Development. Comprehensive Universities world wide especially in Germany where this model was widely piloted in the 1970’s have proven themselves best suited for Regional Development as they have the capacity to tackle Development problems from various angles. Agricultural Studies symbolizes a new angle towards this end.

Since the currently formulated Eastern Cape Draft Rural Development Strategy highlights Agrarian Transformation as a top priority directed at the betterment of rural livelihoods and eradication of poverty. WSU will be better equipped to conduct relevant scientific enquiry and promote Agricultural and Rural Development Innovation and produce the required trained human resource.

These efforts should contribute to implementation of the current South African government policy to foreground Rural Development as one of the top 5 priority development areas. With this faculty WSU responds to the NEPAD vision of an “African Agriculture” which seeks to “maximize the contribution of Africa’s largest economic sector to achieving a self reliant and productive Africa as Agriculture has a greater potential to deliver broadly based economic advancement on a mass scale involving large population on the ground as compared to other economic sectors such as petroleum, minerals and tourism.” NEPAD’s goal for an Agricultural led development is elimination of Hunger and reduction of poverty and food insecurity. This should lead to expansion of exports and putting the Continent on a higher economic rowth path within an overall strategy of sustainable development.

An intervention for production of appropriate agricultural research expertise, technical skills and Knowledge is also a conscious response to the Millennium Development Goals particularly the goal of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger and while ensuring environmental sustainability.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

The Key Structural Issues to be taken into account during implementation are as follows:

Programme and qualification mix Schools, departments and units Research niche areas Agricultural land and facilities Community engagement strategy

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The Programme and Qualification Mix

The programme and qualification mix of the faculty and the various courses of study on which it is based will be designed to address rural development and agrarian transformation as the principal mode of eradicating poverty. The PQM will therefore expand to incorporate certificates, diplomas and degree programmes leading to qualifications in agriculture and rural development in the region and markets served by the WSU nationally.

Human Resource Goals of the Programme and Qualification Mix Preparing men and women for careers and contributions in agricultural

production, processing, marketing, policy, management, teaching, research, development and service.

Bring expertise to bear on rural and urban development through teaching, research, extension and outreach.

Creating an understanding of a holistic, integrated systems approach to agriculture and related resource management.

Complementing and supplementing learning opportunities of students and staff in universities, colleges and other training institutions.

Addressing issues of job creation equity and poverty reduction through activities, which affirm the importance of small-scale farmers and other disadvantaged groups, while recognizing gender.

Graduating students who have an appropriate balance between theory and practical application of knowledge and entrepreneurial skills.

Developing a training process which will produce moral and ethical graduates who possess a willingness to respond to the needs and welfare of ordinary people.

Schools, Departments and Units

The programme and qualification mix must be determined by the needs of the farming communities and which in turn will determine the structure of the faculty - its schools, departments and units. Five schools are therefore envisaged to provide a holistic approach to learning for the agricultural development. Studies will include sustainable farming of crops and animals, the business and economics that are based on land produce, engineering for farming, land health and sustainable environments. Development studies will provide a critical philosophical and social scientific basis.

The faculty will consist of the following schools:

Animal production and Veterinary Sciences (animals) Crop production and Soil Science (plant) Agrarian economics and Agribusiness (poverty eradication) Environmental and land studies (land) Agricultural Engineering (Appropriate technology) Development studies (Economic and Human Development)

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Animal production and Veterinary Sciences (animals)

One of the farming traditions of the rural communities of the eastern part of the Eastern Cape is raising herds of cattle, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, pigs and poultry. Indeed there are more animals per capita in the Eastern Cape than any province of South Africa. However the animal farming approaches of the rural communities in the region have not produced sustainable economies. In contrast the approaches of the commercial farming communities make a significant and sustainable contribution. Animal production can be a major contributor to the gross provincial production. There is therefore a need for training programmes in animal production aimed at improving the approaches of rural communities so as to produce sustainable animal production economies for these communities.

In tandem with animal production is animal health care and veterinary sciences

Crop production and Soil Science (plants)

Another important farming tradition of most rural communities is the growing of staple crops such as maize, beans, sorghum and pumpkins for household consumption. However in the last few decades this practice has largely been abandoned as the migrant labour system robbed rural areas of male labour. Closely related to this were forced removals and other destructive economic practices. The result is that vast amounts of arable land now lie fallow while communities depend on commercial farmers and retailers for sustenance. The land tenure systems of the past have located communities in sparsely separated but highly concentrated settlements resulting in large concentrations of community animals foraging small patches of land and this has led to overgrazing based soil deterioration in most areas. The land is badly eroded and deeply carved by dangerous dongas and in most parts the stream waters have dried up. The need for qualifications in crop production and soil sciences is therefore quite evident.

Agrarian Economics and Agribusiness (poverty eradication)

It has been argued that the relatively lower circulation of currency and wealth in rural areas compared to the urban areas is largely due to depressed economic activity in rural areas and this has highlighted the need for sustainable economic activities in the rural areas. A potential contributor to rural economic activity is the establishment of viable agricultural production in rural communities because it has the potential not only to produce rural based trading in agricultural produce but also to vie for a significant portion of the urban circulation of currency and wealth through the supply of agricultural produce to urban areas. Agrarian economies have the potential to spur economic activities in other sectors such as transport, packaging, food processing, sanitation and road infrastructure and in this way generate sustainable economies in the rural areas. The need for education and training programmes in agrarian economics and rural agribusiness cannot be overemphasized.

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Environmental and Land studies

Agriculture and land are tied together. Without arable land there can be very little agriculture and yet agriculture can be severely stifled by the condition and accessibility of the land. In post-colonial Africa the jury is still out on land tenure issues. In South Africa the programme of land Re-distribution is running into serious difficulties as it requires bold and radical policy shifts in land reform and also due to the poor usage of re-distributed lands. This in turn is a result of land disposition that has robbed newer generations of farming While showing efficient usage, the vast majority of current large land owners mostly white farmers have very poor track record of entitlement while those with arguably better entitlement have very low efficiency in usage. Even where land is optimally used, its condition leaves much to be desired so that its continued viability going into the future may be subject to question. The post-colonial African land is infested with alien plant species that put a strain on its condition. Overgrazing in densely populated rural settlement has resulted in much erosion of the soil. Industries have polluted vast amounts of lands rendering them useless for agriculture for many years to come. These are real issues posing problems for poverty eradication through the revival of rural agricultural economics and they need to be addressed with appropriate academic programmes and research.

Agricultural Engineering (Appropriate technology)

Working and tilling the land has always been an implement based enterprise; the commercial farming communities rely heavily on heavy and expensive equipment. Such equipment is largely designed for the western farmer and in most cases, except for the most common agricultural implements, may be quite inappropriate for the rural farmer. This inappropriateness may derive from cost impediments, land type, crop type, animal type, maintenance and life cycle. The purpose of the school of agricultural engineering is to provide studies in technological support for the type of farmer, land, environment, animal, crop, economy, business and livelihood that will be generated by the targeted agricultural revival. This includes appropriate technologies for agricultural implements, for land and environmental management, raising and caring for animals and crops, and for processing and trading in agricultural products.

SCHOOL OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

Developmental Studies as WSU will advance teaching, research and community development activities that focus on the notion of “Sustainable Development” which promotes growth and does not undermine the long term productivity of natural resources and the environment. Integrated Studies from history, theories, causes of underdevelopment to local, national and global strategies for overcoming their problems coupled with service learning and mentoring of students rural/peri urban community settings will produce a new kind of graduate who can understand and respond to problems of underdevelopment and poverty.

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The WSU Development Studies programmes will take into account that the development concept has evolved into a broader, more comprehensive integrated systems approach. (Centre for Development Research, University of Bonn).It will encompass issues such as

Policy making and the role of governments, the private sector and civil society in development.

Poverty eradication strategies human rights and equity Political institutional and legal frameworks Natural Resource Management Gender, Women’s Research and Development Alternative Models of Development Capacity Building of Knowledge Management especially of

Indigenous Knowledge Systems Entrepreneurship Development etc

WSU Development Studies will draw from international best practice, and forge linkages with Development institutions worldwide especially those that have contributed to poverty eradication such as Agricultural and Developmental Research Institutes in the Punjab, India. The Centre for Development Research at the University of Bonn, Germany, (ZEF) reminds us that “The Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002) adopted concrete steps towards adopted concrete steps towards improving people’s lives while conserving natural resources in a world that is growing in population, with ever increasing demands for food, water, shelter, education, sanitation, energy, health services and economic security”.Recognizing that this international political consensus was declared on our home soil WSU development studies will seek strategies of how to respond to what ZEF calls the “three important aspects of the development challenge viz:-

Betterment of living conditions for the poor Trade offs between fighting poverty and the conservation of natural

resources Policies must be results oriented and that predetermined objectives

must be achieved within given time frames

Aim of Development Research Research will have a strong community based element and produce Masters and Doctoral programmes. The aim will be:-

To produce and disseminate sound development research that will help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development

To improve development policymaking and support collaborative research with scholars in developing nations

To use doctoral studies to build greater capacity for improved policy analysis and policy making in developed and developing countries

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To disseminate research beyond the research community through public policy dialogue and advice workshops, seminars, and a variety of other strategies.

The Structure of the Faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies The Programme and Qualification Mix (PQM)

The programme and qualification mix of the faculty of Agriculture and Rural Development and the various courses of study from which it is based will be designed to address rural development and agrarian transformation as the principal mode of development and eradicating poverty in the region and markets served by the WSU nationally. PQM will therefore expand to incorporate certificates, diplomas and degree programmes leading to qualifications in agriculture and rural development. Tripartite Alliance as Driver

In pursuing the above agenda, the WSU has gone out far and wide to find like minded partners in government, higher education, business, politics and communities. A key partner in this is the Eastern Cape Provincial Government Department of Agriculture. A tripartite alliance involving the Walter Sisulu University (WSU), the Tsolo Agricultural and Rural Development Institute (TARDI), and the Eastern Cape Provincial Government Department of Agriculture has emerged as a key driver of such an agenda.

KEY STRUCTURAL ISSUES FOR NEW FACULTY

• Programme and qualification mix• Schools, departments and units• Research niche areas• Agricultural land and facilities• Community engagement strategy

Launching Programme Qualification Mix

The Faculty Will Offer The Following Qualifications

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1. 120 credit advanced certificate (preriquisite = matric)2. 120 credit advanced diploma (preriquisite = 1)3. 120 credit higher certificate (prerequisite = 2)4. 360 credit diploma (preriquisite = matric)5. 360 credit bachelors degree (preriquisite = matric)

NQF 5

NQF 6

NQF 7

Launching Programme Qualification Mix

Higher Certificate

120credits

Advanced Certificate

120credits

Diploma

360credits

Advanced Diploma

120credits

BachelorOfAgriculture

360credits

Rationale Choice for Qualifications

120 Credit Advanced Certificate

Graduates will provide farming communities with guidance. They will also provide workforce for NGOs, farming consortia, government agencies, farm management and NGOs

Theory, practical, farm experiential training, all desired farming inputs/outputs, needs driven curriculum will be determined from rigorous research

Advisory boards will provide QA and benchmark

120 Credit Advanced Diploma

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Graduates will provide farming communities with guidance, support and service. They will also provide workforce for NGOs, farming consortia, government agencies, farm management and NGOs

Theory, practical, farm experiential training, all desired farming inputs/outputs, needs driven curriculum will be determined from rigorous research

Advisory boards will provide QA and benchmark 120 Credit Higher Certificate Graduates will provide farming communities with expert guidance,

support and service. They will also provide workforce for NGOs, farming consortia, government agencies, farm management and NGOs

Theory, practical, farm experiential training, all desired farming inputs/outputs, needs driven curriculum will be determined from rigorous research

Advisory boards will provide QA and benchmark

360 Credit Diploma

• Diplomates will provide farming communities with guidance and support. • They will also provide workforce for NGOs, farming consortia, government agencies and NGOs• Theory, practical, farm experiential training, all desired farming inputs/outputs, needs driven curriculum will be determined from rigorous research• Advisory boards will provide QA and benchmark

360 Credit Bachelors Degree

Graduates will provide farming communities with expert advice and service. They will also provide workforce for NGOs, farming consortia, government agencies and NGOs

Theory, practical, farm experiential training, all desired farming inputs/outputs, needs driven curriculum will be determined from rigorous research

Advisory boards will provide QA and benchmark

Research Niche Areas

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The research project mix will be determined by the needs of the environment and farming communities and will therefore to a large extent be based on farming community engagement. Thus research will focus mainly on:

• Animal production• Animal health• Crop production• Value added products and markets• Soil analysis and Environmental assessments• Issues of Agrarian Transformation

Agricultural Land

The Faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies will need to have access to land for all its activities in:

• Animal production• Animal health• Crop production• Value added products and markets• Soil analysis and Environmental assessments

Community Engagement

There are two possible approaches for community engagements. The second approach is favoured.

The first approach involves the development of tuition, service and research models for farming communities within the domains of the faculty. Farming communities are engaged by diffusion of the benefits from these faculty domains to the farming communities.The second involves the development of tuition, service and research models for farming communities within the domains of the farming communities. Farmers are engaged by development and application of benefits to directly to the farming communities.Rationalisation of the structure

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The structure is proposed with the five key elements of animal production and health (bullets 1 and 2), crop production and health (bullets 3 and 5) and the wealth generation or poverty eradication element (bullet 4) in order to provide a rounded approach that will have immediate impact on the communities to be served.

• Animal Production• Veterinary Sciences• Crop Production• Agrarian Economics• Soil, plant and Environmental Sciences

INTEGRATION WITH TSOLO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS

The success of a Faculty of Agriculture at WSU will depend not only on working effectively with other faculties within the institution but also with outside institutions.

Tsolo Agricultural College is located relatively close to the Umthatha campus of WSU. The campus has teaching facilities, an area of land, agricultural facilities, staff and is a provider of agricultural education.

Working in association with Tsolo would provide several advantages including. The opportunity to share staff. Students who perform well in the courses offered by Tsolo could be given the opportunity to undertake degree level studies if the courses are appropriately aligned.

Special Justification for Establishing a School of Animal Production and Veterinary Sciences at WSUThe main reasons why WSU needs a school of Veterinary Science:

There is one single school of Veterinary Medicine in South Africa catering for over 4.8 Mio people• Limited intake of only 200 students a year• Stiff competition for applicants. Chances of students from a disadvantaged

environment being taken on are very slim32

• Status quo shows that history of this school as it is perceived by other members of the community precludes some very potential veterinarians

• The general culture of the school has not changed much. In fact many of black potential veterinarians either drop out early in the course or are unable to finish or if they finish they take much longer than expected

• Course content does not address needs in a rural setting ( Emphasis on small animals

• Situated in a very metropolitan environment• 80 % of current graduates emigrate anyway ;not willing to work in a rural

setup

Competitive advantage of school at WSU placing

• The school is located in the Province with the largest livestock numbers in the country

• There are already existing facilities which can easily be converted to teach Vet Medicine Tsolo, Mpofu & WSU

• The rural setup provides a niche training environment• Need for Veterinary Services / Animal health Services in the Province• Mthatha is a priority developmental node in the country• WSU has already been mooted as a potential partner with TiHo (One of the

oldest Veterinary schools in the World with experience in starting off new Vet Schools) within the twinning agreement with Lower Saxony

• A new Veterinary school in SA has to be situated a distance away from the current one in Pretoria. The best option is Eastern Cape.

PROCESSES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FACULTY

There are various methods that can be used to develop a new degree course and faculty. Often universities develop courses using the methods that have been used for decades and produce a degree that is similar to those at other institutions. Alternatively the course can be developed from the ground up where the outcomes desired are first defined followed by design of the degree programs and the selection of staff appropriate to teach the course and meet the outcomes. Such a process is outlined here. Some indicative steps that can be used are outlined.

The main steps to develop the new faculty and degree programmes will include:

1. To Define the overall goal of the faculty2. To Determine the areas that will be covered (and with that the way in which

graduates might be expected to work)3. To Determine the core and associated competencies that graduates will gain

during the degree4. To Design the degree5. To Appoint staff and introduce ongoing training for staff6. To Market the degree7. To Establish monitoring systems

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Establishment of an advisory committee

In order to effectively engage with community and industry it is useful at the start of the process of developing a degree to establish an advisory committee.

Features and Responsibility of the Committee

The committee will be composed of people from the Agricultural and Rural Development Industry (both public and private sectors) who are involved with the industry as well as staff from the university.

The committee will assist the university to determine the scope of the degree and the competencies required of the students on graduation (Steps 1 to 3 above) to ensure the degree is relevant.

To assist by critiquing the design of the degree. To assist with marketing the degree (Step 6) to potential students and

sponsors and monitoring the performance of the degree (Step 7) to ensure it is meeting the needs and operating efficiently.

The committee’s role is advisory and it is the university staff that would be responsible for the design of the degree and determining the resource requirements.

The committee has the role of ensuring the degree is relevant to industry and the community and needs to have status in the community and the university. Membership of the committee will involve representatives from:

Agricultural businesses. Supermarkets or other important retailers of food. National, provincial and local government. Farmers both men and women and their Organizations. Rural or agricultural journalist. University senior management. University lecturing staff. A senior member of academic staff from another institution. Youth in Agriculture.

The committee will need to meet on several occasions and will require secretarial support from the university.

Focus Of the Course and Envisaged Competencies

In developing the course the focus needs to be on the core competencies of students and the skills they will have on graduation as would be achieved through Step 3. Without pre-empting the findings of an advisory committee, areas and competencies that graduates might be expected to have include:

An understanding of the nature and processes of rural development and how they relate to agricultural production

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An understanding of the nature and operation of the agricultural sector at local, national and international levels

A practical and theoretical understanding of the methods for crop and livestock production in various contexts (including subsistence and commercial)

Financial management Nature and analysis of agricultural supply chains Environmental management in relation to agriculture Agricultural public policy Community development principles and processes

The courses will need a strong practical element and be linked at all stages with the community. Empathy for farmers will have to be developed by the graduates to ensure they can communicate effectively with farmers and assist farmers in negotiations with other parts of the agricultural sector.

Other competencies required will depend on the component of agriculture into which they may move and may be developed through subjects taught in other faculties of the university.

Curriculum

The development of the curriculum will aim at producing the competencies determined by the advisory committee. In addition the nature of the pedagogy is important. In the area of agriculture experiential learning adds an important dimension to students understanding of the theoretical concepts is more likely to produce life long learners than a didactic pedagogy. Graduates will need an integrated set of skills and so experiential learning (including service learning) will be an effective process to enable students to integrate the various areas.

Infrastructure

The teaching of agriculture can be approached in divergent ways. In one the university provides a working farm in order for students to gain practical experience and staff to carry out experimental research. An alternative approach is to work closely with farmers and make use of their production systems for students to gain experience and assist farmers to improve practices and for staff to carry out real world research in association with those farmers. The second approach provides several advantages in that the knowledge and experience gained by the students is highly relevant, the students and institution are engaged with the community and able to assist as well as benefit. In addition, the approach means that the costs associated with the development and management of the faculty are greatly reduced. In some cases it is important that students are exposed to agricultural activities in controlled situations and in these cases it will be appropriate to make use of the facilities already present at Tsolo Agricultural College.

Human Resources Requirements

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The staff requirements of the faculty would be determined by the nature of the course developed. In specialist areas if staff are not available within the university it might be possible to work closely with government departments and Tsolo Agricultural College to share appropriate expertise.

It would be important with the development of the faculty to ensure that it is integrated with faculties within the university. In particular staff involved with teaching business, geography, environmental studies, science and social science could have a role in teaching components of an agricultural degree. Working in collaboration would greatly increase the depth and diversity of the areas available for study.

In addition, the ORTDM is developing learning centres in various rural areas and these centres such as Emfundisweni would provide ideal learning situations for students and an opportunity for students to contribute to the communities if the centres are effectively integrated into the course.

NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

Over the past 4 years since its inception in February 2004 Centre for Rural Development has established extensive linkages to promote the cause of Rural Development. A striking insight gained in this connection is how much goodwill exists towards the realization of the vision of WSU, as a Developmental University that focuses on the two niche areas viz. Rural Development and Urban Renewal. The following MOU’s and Partnerships will certainly contribute to the implementation of the establishment of a Faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies:

Government/ National Partnerships

MOU between WSU, O.R. Tambo District Municipality and City of Cape Town. MOU between WSU and Independent Development Trust implements 5

Objectives MOU between WSU and Department of Economic Development and

Environmental Affairs to facilitate Capacity Building and Entrepreneurship Development.

MOU between WSU/CRD and Mhlontlo Local Municipality to implement a pilot of Integrated Sustainable Rural Development.

Partnership with Eastern Cape Appropriate Technology Unit (ECATU). MOU with Metropolitan and Partnership with Old Mutual for support of Centre

for Rural Development Programmes.

Non- Governmental Organizations

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SANPAD Women’s Development Foundation (WDF) for empowerment and training

of women’s Development Organizations. Women in Agriculture / Youth in Agriculture Isbaya Rural Village Renewal Programme/ Agricultural Research Council

(ARC). National Rural Development Programme (NARDEP) focus on Community

Mobilization and Training of Community Development Practitioners. Isinamva Community Development Organization, Mt Frere, Focus on

Conscientisation Pedagogy of the Oppressed and Community Mobilization. Several Cooperatives in particular the Pilot Soap Making Cooperatives in

Mhlakulo/ Ngangelizwe expected to extend to include Essential Oils. Collaboration with National/ Provincial Farmers Associations. Collaboration with Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Social

Development, ECSECC, ASGISA. TRALSO

International Partnerships

CIDA (Niagara College, Canada) the INREACH collaboration Programme is a Capacity building initiative focusing on progress of rural Cooperatives and Training of Community Development Workers.

German Development Service has provided qualified Personnel AID (Experts) to work at CRD over a 2 year contract.

University of Western Sydney Australia – VC and Top Management including CRD director visited Australia in February 2009 and Western Sydney which specialized in Agriculture Rural Development and Environmental Studies, pledged support for establishment of Faculty of Agriculture, Dr Gavin Ramsey formulated the first guiding document on Processes to be followed.

University of Newcastle, partnership with the faculty of Health Sciences on Community based Medicine and Problem based Methodologies.

NB WSU has more partnerships that will be relevant to the establishment of Agriculture and Development Studies. These are located in the Centre for Community partnerships.

Partners for best practice in establishment of Faculty of Agriculture and Rural Development.

International and Research Institutes Punjab Agricultural University, India. Africa University, Zimbabwe. University of Newcastle (Australia). University of Western Sydney (Australia). Michigan State (Land Grant) University. Ghana University for Development Studies, Tamale. Hanover School of Veterinary Medicine, Germany Deula Institute

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Major Requirements and Facilities Needed for Faculty• Lecture Halls.• Laboratory Facilities.• Computer Laboratories.• Library Facilities.• Office Equipment.• Programme – based Equipment.• Land for Demonstration Farms.• Animal Stables and Graining Land.• Administration and Technical Staff.• Teaching/ Research Staff.• Sports Facilities.• Transport cars and Facilities. • Residential Space for Staff and Students.• Aquaculture Facilities

STEPS TO BE TAKEN – April 2009 – January 2010 Steps Time Frame

1. Feasibility study / needs analysis to be conducted early before programming.

2. Workshops with all stakeholders HE, Local Government, Private Sector, Asgisa, IDT, Provincial Government, Farmers Association, Agricultural Research Council (ARC) 2 workshops will be conducted; both meant to enhance the capacity of WSU to come up with dynamic relevant programmes. The first workshop will expose WSU staff to best

June 2009

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practice, on PQM developed and transformed Resource persons will be drawn from experience partners such as Western Sydney, Africa University and USA Land Grant University, and Hanover School of Veterinary Medicine.

3. Establishment of Advisory Committee.

4. Feasibility Studies and Community based Research.

5. Determining Focus, Skills and Competencies.

6. Curriculum Development.

7. Infrastructure Development.

8. Human Resource Requirements.

9. Student Recruitment

10. Launch

June 2009 – September 2009.

June 2009

June 2009 – December 2009

June 2009 – June 2010

June 2009 – March 2010

January 2010 – September 2010

February 2010 – September 2010

September 2010 During 5th Annual Rural Development Conference

ACTION PLAN

Activity Responsibility Time Frame1.Faculty Concept Document Formulation

Prof. LuswaziDirector Centre for Rural Development

15 April 2009

1.1 Proposal and Business Plans Prof. Luswazi August 2009

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with Budgets

2. Establishment of Advisory Committee

Prof. Luswazi 1st June 2009

3. Feasibility Study/ Needs Analysis

Prof. Songca Executive Dean, Faculty of Science and Engineering

June – August 2009

4. Lobbying of WSU Council, Minister of Education and National Cabinet – Awareness of Rural Universities Forum

Prof. Balintulo, Vice Chancellor

31st June 2009

5. Consultation and Awareness of Faculty Boards and Senate.

Prof. Obi DVC Research and Academic Affairs. March 2009 on

wards6. Review of Legislature Framework

Mrs. Sangqu 1st June 2009

7. Workshops for Internal/ External Higher Education Stakeholders and Project Partners

Prof. Luswazi 30 June 2009

8. Curriculum and Programme Development for Agricultural Studies

Prof. Obi (main responsibility)Prof. SongcaProf. JumbanProf. NakaniProf. Tau – MzamaneDr. Lwanga IgaMr. Ntsabo

First Round 31 August 2009

9. Programme Quality Assurance Prof. Byss First Round31 August 2009

10. Submission to Senate DoE SAQA Agri –Society Sociological Society

(Development Studies)

Prof. Obi 31 November 2009

11. Curriculum for Development Studies

Prof. Luswazi 31 August 2009

NBResponsibility for specific actions lies in the hands of either Executive Management or Members of the Founding Task Team. For however sub committees will be set up for which internal and external expertise will be sought and co –opted.

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