Agriculture

Doctor of Philosophy in Agroforestry

The Doctor of Philosophy in Agroforestry is a doctoral programme offered at Kenyatta University through the School of Environmental Studies and at South Eastern Kenya University. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in agroforestry systems, tree-crop interactions, sustainable land management and rural development, addressing Kenya's environmental conservation and agricultural sustainability needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in agroforestry systems, tree-crop interactions, soil conservation, carbon sequestration, rural development and research methodology. The curriculum emphasises original research on agroforestry relevant to Kenya's agricultural and environmental context.

Kenya's challenges with deforestation, soil degradation, climate change and food security require advanced agroforestry research. This creates demand for doctoral-level agroforestry expertise to support sustainable land management.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, field research, experimental trials and supervised thesis writing at university environmental studies departments and agroforestry research stations.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, agroforestry researchers, environmental consultants and rural development specialists. They work in universities, research institutes, environmental agencies and international development organisations.

The programme is ideal for holders of master's degrees in agroforestry, forestry, environmental studies, agriculture, natural resource management or related fields who wish to advance to doctoral-level research in agroforestry, contributing to Kenya's environmental conservation through research on tree-crop systems, sustainable land management and rural development to support food security, climate resilience and sustainable natural resource use for Kenya's agricultural communities and environmental conservation efforts.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 464,000
Private, up to: Ksh 313,700
Job market: Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 6 students
Award: PhD

What you study

8 subjects

Agroforestry Systems
Tree-Crop Interactions
Soil Conservation
Carbon Sequestration
Rural Development
Research Methods in Environmental Studies
Climate Change Adaptation
Thesis Research

Modules

10 in the programme

Agroforestry Systems
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Advanced study of agroforestry systems, covering silvicultural principles, forest management, and their application in sustainable resource use.
Tree-Crop Interactions
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Research on tree-crop interactions, covering agricultural principles, production technologies, and their application in sustainable farming systems.
Soil Conservation
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Research on soil conservation in agroforestry, covering agricultural principles, production technologies, and their application in sustainable farming systems.
Carbon Sequestration
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Research on carbon sequestration, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Rural Development
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Research on rural development, exploring development theories, sustainable practices, and their application in addressing contemporary challenges in Kenya and beyond.
Research Methods in Environmental Studies
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research methodology for environmental studies, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the.
Climate Change Adaptation
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Research on climate change adaptation, covering climate science principles, adaptation strategies, and their application in environmental policy.
Agroforestry Policy
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Research on agroforestry policy, analysing policy frameworks, implementation strategies, and their impact on practice within the Kenyan and broader African context.
Thesis Research
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Original doctoral research in agroforestry, involving original research, literature review, data analysis, and the production of a doctoral dissertation contributing new knowledge to the discipline.
Research Seminars
Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore
Presentation and discussion of agroforestry research, providing a platform for doctoral candidates to present research findings, engage with peer feedback, and explore contemporary debates in the.

Specialisations

Carbon Sequestration
Research on carbon sequestration
Soil Conservation
Research on soil conservation
Tree-Crop Interactions
Research on tree-crop interactions
Climate Change Adaptation
Research on climate change adaptation
Agroforestry Systems
Research on agroforestry systems
Rural Development
Research on rural development

A day as a student

A typical day involves morning coursework on agroforestry systems and tree-crop interactions, afternoon field research on experimental agroforestry plots, data analysis on soil conservation and carbon sequestration, and meetings with thesis supervisors on agroforestry research.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's environmental challenges create research opportunities
Access to KEFRI and ICRAF for research collaboration
Direct contribution to sustainable land management

Against it

Field research in remote areas can be challenging
Research funding for agroforestry can be limited
Career opportunities may be concentrated in research institutions

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 303 agriculture courses

Public252k to 464k

252k at Egerton University464k at University of Nairobi

Private168k to 314k

168k at Kenya Methodist University314k at Kabarak University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

UoN ~464K (Fac. Agri), Egerton 252K/yr. KeMU 168K, Kabarak 314K/yr.

HELB postgraduate loans are available. NACOSTI grants support environmental research. ICRAF may offer agroforestry research grants.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
NACOSTI Research Grant
ICRAF Research Grants

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan citizens in postgraduate programmes
ICRAF Research Grant
Grant
Agroforestry researchers
NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Researchers in Kenya

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Master's degree in Agroforestry, Forestry, Environmental Studies, Agriculture, Natural Resource Management or related field
Alternative entry: Bachelor's and Master's degrees from recognised institutions; draft research proposal

How you are assessed

3 components

Field Research Project
Practical20% of the mark
Practical field research project
Thesis Defence
Thesis50% of the mark
Final oral defence of doctoral thesis
Coursework Examinations
Written exam30% of the mark
Written examinations on coursework

Accreditation

This programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE).

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body for university accreditation

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

Agroforestry Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 200,000
Research on agroforestry systems
University Lecturer in Agroforestry
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 220,000
Teaching and research in university environmental departments
Rural Development Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 200,000
Rural development with agroforestry focus
Environmental Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 220,000
Consulting on environmental and agroforestry projects

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers in academia, agroforestry research, environmental consulting and rural development with moderate demand for agroforestry expertise in Kenya.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Agroforestry is just about planting trees on farms
The programme covers agroforestry systems, tree-crop interactions, soil conservation, carbon sequestration and rural development.
The programme has limited career prospects
Kenya's environmental conservation needs create demand for agroforestry expertise in research, government and NGOs.
Only forestry graduates can study this programme
The programme accepts holders of master's degrees in agroforestry, forestry, environmental studies, agriculture or related fields.
Agroforestry research is not scientifically rigorous
The programme involves experimental trials, data analysis and rigorous research methodology.
The programme is only for rural development
Agroforestry research also addresses climate change, carbon sequestration and environmental conservation.