Agriculture

Master of Science in Climate Smart Agriculture

The Master of Science in Climate Smart Agriculture is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in climate-resilient farming, sustainable agriculture, and agricultural adaptation. The programme combines climate science with practical agricultural and natural resource management application.

Core areas include climate-smart crop production, soil health and carbon management, water-smart agriculture, climate risk assessment, sustainable intensification, agricultural extension, climate policy, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both climate and agricultural theory and practical field and laboratory work through coursework and research.

The programme is offered by Taita Taveta University, Murang'a University of Technology, and Chuka University. All are public universities offering the programme over two academic years through full-time and part-time modes of study.

Students develop competencies in climate-smart crop production, soil health and carbon management, water-smart agriculture, climate risk assessment, sustainable intensification, agricultural extension, climate policy, and research methods. The programme includes 14 examinable courses, examinations, fieldwork, and a supervised research thesis.

TTU charges approximately KES 200,000/year for science-based programmes. Murang'a University charges approximately KES 220,000/year. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in agriculture, environmental science, biological sciences, natural resources, geography, or related fields from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as climate-smart agriculture officers, agricultural extension officers, environmental consultants, sustainability advisors, research scientists, and lecturers in climate-smart agriculture across government agencies, NGOs, research institutions, international organisations, and universities.

Skills Required

Climate-Smart Crop Production and Management
Soil Health and Carbon Management
Water-Smart Agriculture and Irrigation Efficiency
Climate Risk Assessment and Vulnerability Analysis
Sustainable Agricultural Intensification
Agricultural Extension and Climate Communication
Climate Policy and Agricultural Governance
Conservation Agriculture and Land Restoration
Research Methods in Climate-Smart Agriculture
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Climate-Smart Crop Production and Management
Soil Health and Carbon Management
Water-Smart Agriculture and Irrigation Efficiency
Climate Risk Assessment and Vulnerability Analysis
Sustainable Agricultural Intensification
Agricultural Extension and Climate Communication
Climate Policy and Agricultural Governance
Conservation Agriculture and Land Restoration
Research Methods in Climate-Smart Agriculture
Thesis Research

Certifications

KALRO Research Certification
FAO CSA Professional Certification

Specializations

Climate-Smart Crop Production

Focuses on climate-smart crop production, covering drought-tolerant varieties, planting schedules, crop management, yield optimisation, and managing climate-smart crops.

Soil and Carbon Management

Examines soil health and carbon management, covering soil conservation, carbon sequestration, organic matter, composting, and managing soil carbon.

Water-Smart Agriculture

Covers water-smart agriculture, covering irrigation efficiency, water harvesting, drought management, water conservation, and managing water-smart agriculture.

Climate Risk Management

Focuses on climate risk management, covering risk assessment, vulnerability analysis, early warning, insurance, and managing climate risk.

Sustainable Intensification

Examines sustainable intensification, covering productivity, efficiency, ecosystem services, trade-offs, and managing sustainable intensification.

Agricultural Extension

Covers agricultural extension, covering climate communication, farmer outreach, participatory extension, capacity building, and managing agricultural extension.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 220,000
Job market: High

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: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Climate-Smart Crop Production and Management
Soil Health and Carbon Management
Water-Smart Agriculture and Irrigation Efficiency
Climate Risk Assessment and Vulnerability Analysis
Sustainable Agricultural Intensification
Agricultural Extension and Climate Communication
Climate Policy and Agricultural Governance
Conservation Agriculture and Land Restoration
Research Methods in Climate-Smart Agriculture
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Climate-Smart Crop Production and Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines drought-tolerant varieties, planting schedules, crop management, yield optimisation, and managing climate-smart crops.
Soil Health and Carbon Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers soil conservation, carbon sequestration, organic matter, composting, soil fertility, and managing soil carbon.
Research Methods in Climate-Smart Agriculture
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, field methods, and conducting CSA research, preparing students for their thesis.
Water-Smart Agriculture and Irrigation Efficiency
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines irrigation efficiency, water harvesting, drought management, water conservation, and managing water-smart agriculture.
Climate Risk Assessment and Vulnerability Analysis
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers risk assessment, vulnerability analysis, early warning, insurance, and managing climate risk.
Sustainable Agricultural Intensification
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines productivity, efficiency, ecosystem services, trade-offs, and managing sustainable intensification.
Agricultural Extension and Climate Communication
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers climate communication, farmer outreach, participatory extension, capacity building, and managing agricultural extension.
Climate Policy and Agricultural Governance
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines agricultural governance, climate agreements, policy analysis, advocacy, and managing climate policy.
Conservation Agriculture and Land Restoration
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers minimum tillage, cover crops, crop rotation, mulching, land restoration, and managing conservation agriculture.
Climate Modelling and Forecasting for Agriculture
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines climate models, seasonal forecasting, downscaling, agricultural applications, and managing climate data.
Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers ecological principles, biodiversity, ecosystem services, food systems, and managing agroecology.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a climate-smart agriculture topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Climate-Smart Crop Production
Focuses on climate-smart crop production, covering drought-tolerant varieties, planting schedules, crop management, yield optimisation, and managing climate-smart crops.
Soil and Carbon Management
Examines soil health and carbon management, covering soil conservation, carbon sequestration, organic matter, composting, and managing soil carbon.
Water-Smart Agriculture
Covers water-smart agriculture, covering irrigation efficiency, water harvesting, drought management, water conservation, and managing water-smart agriculture.
Climate Risk Management
Focuses on climate risk management, covering risk assessment, vulnerability analysis, early warning, insurance, and managing climate risk.
Sustainable Intensification
Examines sustainable intensification, covering productivity, efficiency, ecosystem services, trade-offs, and managing sustainable intensification.
Agricultural Extension
Covers agricultural extension, covering climate communication, farmer outreach, participatory extension, capacity building, and managing agricultural extension.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Climate Smart Agriculture programme combines lectures, laboratory sessions, fieldwork, practical workshops, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover climate-smart crop production, soil health, water management, and climate risk assessment. Climate-smart crop production sessions examine drought-tolerant varieties, planting schedules, crop management, yield optimisation, and managing climate-smart crops. Soil health sessions cover soil conservation, carbon sequestration, organic matter, composting, and managing soil carbon. Water-smart agriculture sessions cover irrigation efficiency, water harvesting, drought management, water conservation, and managing water-smart agriculture. Climate risk assessment sessions cover risk assessment, vulnerability analysis, early warning, insurance, and managing climate risk. Sustainable intensification sessions cover productivity, efficiency, ecosystem services, trade-offs, and managing sustainable intensification. Agricultural extension sessions cover climate communication, farmer outreach, participatory extension, capacity building, and managing agricultural extension. Climate policy sessions cover agricultural governance, climate agreements, policy analysis, and managing climate policy. Conservation agriculture sessions cover minimum tillage, cover crops, crop rotation, mulching, and managing conservation agriculture. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with soil analysis, carbon measurement, plant analysis, and climate data analysis. Fieldwork provides hands-on experience with farm visits, crop assessment, soil sampling, water monitoring, and farmer engagement. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with climate-smart design, conservation planning, irrigation design, and extension communication. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in climate-smart agriculture. Guest lectures from experienced climate scientists, agronomists, and extension professionals provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a climate-smart agriculture topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

High demand for climate-smart agriculture professionals with growing climate action, food security initiatives, sustainable agriculture, and green economy in Kenya.
Programme co-developed with AICCRA and CGIAR, ensuring international standards and relevance.
Programme offered by three public universities (TTU, MUT, Chuka), providing institutional choice.
Programme addresses pressing national challenges including climate change, food security, and environmental sustainability.

Against it

All university fees are estimated and not independently verified, requiring prospective students to confirm directly.
Programmes are relatively new (developed from 2022), with limited track record of graduates.
No private university confirmed offering this programme, limiting options.
Programme requires agriculture, environmental science, or biological sciences background, which limits access for non-related graduates.

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

Public200k to 220k

200k at Taita Taveta University220k at Murang'a University of Technology

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

Unverified; kept existing values. No specific fee data found online.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. AICCRA and CGIAR may provide research support for climate-smart agriculture professionals. KALRO and agricultural research organisations may provide research support. Some development organisations may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
AICCRA Research Support
KALRO Research Support

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
AICCRA Research Support
GrantKsh 250,000Kenyan
AICCRA and CGIAR may provide research support for climate-smart agriculture professionals.
KALRO Research Support
GrantKsh 200,000Kenyan
KALRO and partner organisations may provide research support for agricultural research professionals.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: Most universities require Upper Second Class Honours in agriculture, environmental science, biological sciences, or related fields. Lower Second Division holders with relevant experience are considered. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, field reports, laboratory reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering climate-smart crop production, soil health, water management, climate risk, and sustainable intensification.
Field and Practical Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through fieldwork, farm visits, soil analysis, climate data analysis, and demonstrating CSA skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a climate-smart agriculture topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Taita Taveta University, Murang'a University of Technology, and Chuka University (all public) offer MSc in Climate-Smart Agriculture or related programmes, co-developed with AICCRA support. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in climate-smart agriculture. Graduates are eligible for KALRO research certification and FAO CSA professional certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Taita Taveta University, Murang'a University of Technology, and Chuka University (all public) offer MSc in Climate-Smart Agriculture or related programmes, co-developed with AICCRA support. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in climate-smart agriculture. Graduates are eligible for KALRO research certification and FAO CSA professional certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Climate-Smart Agriculture Officer
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages climate-smart agriculture programmes, overseeing CSA implementation, monitoring, extension, and managing CSA programmes.
Agricultural Extension Officer
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Provides agricultural extension, overseeing farmer outreach, training, climate communication, and managing agricultural extension.
Environmental Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Provides environmental consulting, overseeing EIA, environmental audits, sustainability assessment, and managing environmental consulting.
Sustainability Advisor
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Advises on sustainability, overseeing sustainable practices, climate strategies, reporting, and managing sustainability.
Research Scientist
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Conducts agricultural research, overseeing research design, experimentation, analysis, publication, and managing scientific research.
CSA Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches climate-smart agriculture at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

R
SoftwarePrimary
R for statistical analysis, covering climate data, agricultural data, crop modelling, and managing research data.
QGIS
Software
QGIS for spatial analysis, covering farm mapping, land use mapping, vegetation mapping, and managing spatial data.
DSSAT
Software
DSSAT for crop simulation modelling, covering crop growth, yield prediction, climate scenarios, and managing crop models.
SPSS
Software
SPSS for statistical analysis, covering survey data, experimental data, and managing research data.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Climate-smart agriculture is just about farming in dry areas.
Climate-smart agriculture covers comprehensive crop production, soil health, water management, risk assessment, policy, and extension across all agro-ecological zones.
This programme is only for agriculturists.
Climate-smart agriculture skills are valuable for environmental scientists, geographers, natural resource managers, policy makers, researchers, and development professionals beyond just agriculturists.
Climate-smart agriculture has limited career prospects in Kenya.
With growing climate action, food security initiatives, sustainable agriculture, and green economy, demand for climate-smart agriculture professionals is high in Kenya.
Soil carbon management is just about adding compost.
Soil carbon management covers comprehensive carbon sequestration, measurement, monitoring, soil health, and carbon markets.
Water-smart agriculture is just about drip irrigation.
Water-smart agriculture covers comprehensive irrigation efficiency, water harvesting, drought management, conservation, and watershed management.
Climate risk assessment is just about weather forecasting.
Climate risk assessment covers comprehensive vulnerability analysis, early warning systems, insurance, adaptation planning, and risk management.