Agriculture

Master of Science in Dryland Agro-Pastoral Systems

The Master of Science in Dryland Agro-Pastoral Systems is a postgraduate programme that trains graduates in dryland agriculture and agro-pastoral systems, focusing on sustainable production in arid and semi-arid lands. The programme prepares graduates for advanced careers in dryland agriculture, pastoral development, and arid lands management.

Core areas include dryland crop production, pastoral systems, agro-pastoral integration, dryland soils, water management, drought resilience, range management, livestock production in drylands, dryland cropping systems, and research methods. Students engage with theoretical foundations and practical dryland agriculture applications.

The programme is offered by Kirinyaga University, Strathmore University, and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, with Egerton University as a college. Egerton offers the programme through its Faculty of Agriculture at Njoro Campus, and also offers PhD in Dryland and Agro-Pastoral Systems and related MSc programmes in Dryland Farming and Dryland Resources Management.

Students develop competencies in dryland crop production, agro-pastoral system design, water management, drought resilience, range management, livestock production, and research. The programme includes coursework, field work, examinations, supervised research, and thesis.

The programme is delivered over two years with full-time study mode at Egerton. Egerton requires Second Class Honours Upper Division or Lower Division with two years work experience. Application fee is KES 2,000 at Egerton.

Graduates pursue careers as dryland agriculture specialists, agro-pastoral system managers, range managers, agricultural researchers, extension officers, and lecturers in government agencies, research institutions, NGOs, pastoral organisations, and universities.

Skills Required

Dryland Crop Production Systems
Agro-Pastoral System Design and Management
Dryland Water Management and Conservation
Range Management and Pasture Ecology
Drought Resilience and Adaptation
Dryland Soil Management and Conservation
Livestock Production in Drylands
Dryland Cropping Systems Design
Arid Lands Development Planning
Dryland Agriculture Research Methods

Key Subjects

Dryland Crop Production
Pastoral Systems
Agro-Pastoral Integration
Dryland Soils
Water Management
Drought Resilience
Range Management
Livestock Production in Drylands
Dryland Cropping Systems
Dryland Agriculture Research Methods

Certifications

KALRO Professional Certification
ICARDA Training Certification

Specializations

Dryland Crop Production

Focuses on dryland crop production, drought-tolerant crops, dryland cropping systems, conservation agriculture, and producing crops in arid and semi-arid conditions.

Pastoral Systems

Examines pastoral systems, pastoralism, livestock mobility, communal grazing, and understanding and managing pastoral production systems in drylands.

Agro-Pastoral Integration

Covers agro-pastoral integration, integrating crop and livestock production, mixed farming systems, and designing integrated agro-pastoral systems.

Dryland Water Management

Focuses on dryland water management, water harvesting, irrigation in drylands, water conservation, and managing water resources in arid and semi-arid lands.

Range Management

Examines range management, rangeland ecology, pasture management, carrying capacity, and managing and conserving rangelands in drylands.

Drought Resilience

Covers drought resilience, drought management, early warning systems, climate adaptation, and building resilience to drought in dryland communities.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 188,650
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Dryland Crop Production
Pastoral Systems
Agro-Pastoral Integration
Dryland Soils
Water Management
Drought Resilience
Range Management
Livestock Production in Drylands
Dryland Cropping Systems
Dryland Agriculture Research Methods

Modules

12 in the programme

Dryland Crop Production Systems
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines dryland crop production, drought-tolerant crops, sorghum, millet, cowpea, conservation agriculture, and producing crops in arid and semi-arid conditions.
Pastoral Systems and Livelihoods
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers pastoral systems, pastoralism, livestock mobility, communal grazing, pastoral livelihoods, and understanding and managing pastoral production systems.
Agro-Pastoral Integration
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines agro-pastoral integration, integrating crop and livestock, mixed farming, crop-livestock interactions, and designing integrated agro-pastoral systems.
Dryland Soils and Fertility Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers dryland soils, soil types, soil fertility, soil conservation, soil moisture, and managing dryland soils for sustainable production.
Water Management in Drylands
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines water management, water harvesting, dryland irrigation, water conservation, soil moisture management, and managing water resources in arid lands.
Range Management and Pasture Ecology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers range management, rangeland ecology, pasture management, carrying capacity, rotational grazing, and managing and conserving rangelands.
Drought Resilience and Climate Adaptation
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines drought resilience, drought management, early warning systems, climate adaptation, drought-resistant farming, and building resilience in dryland communities.
Livestock Production in Drylands
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers livestock production in drylands, drought-tolerant breeds, livestock feeding, livestock health, and managing livestock in arid conditions.
Dryland Cropping Systems Design
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines dryland cropping systems, intercropping, crop rotation, agroforestry, conservation tillage, and designing sustainable dryland cropping systems.
Dryland Agriculture Research Methods
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research methods for dryland agriculture, experimental design, data analysis, and conducting dryland research, preparing students for their thesis.
Arid Lands Development Policy
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines arid lands development policy, dryland policy frameworks, pastoral policy, and developing and implementing policies for arid and semi-arid lands development.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis on a dryland agro-pastoral systems topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and dryland agriculture knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Dryland Crop Production
Focuses on dryland crop production, drought-tolerant crops, dryland cropping systems, conservation agriculture, and producing crops in arid and semi-arid conditions.
Pastoral Systems
Examines pastoral systems, pastoralism, livestock mobility, communal grazing, and understanding and managing pastoral production systems in drylands.
Agro-Pastoral Integration
Covers agro-pastoral integration, integrating crop and livestock production, mixed farming systems, and designing integrated agro-pastoral systems.
Dryland Water Management
Focuses on dryland water management, water harvesting, irrigation in drylands, water conservation, and managing water resources in arid and semi-arid lands.
Range Management
Examines range management, rangeland ecology, pasture management, carrying capacity, and managing and conserving rangelands in drylands.
Drought Resilience
Covers drought resilience, drought management, early warning systems, climate adaptation, and building resilience to drought in dryland communities.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc Dryland Agro-Pastoral Systems programme begins with morning lectures on dryland crop production, pastoral systems, or water management. Students engage in theoretical discussions on dryland ecology, agro-pastoral integration, and sustainable production in arid lands. Dryland crop production sessions cover drought-tolerant crops, sorghum, millet, cowpea, green gram, conservation agriculture, and producing crops in arid conditions. Pastoral systems sessions examine pastoralism, livestock mobility, communal grazing, pastoral livelihoods, and understanding and managing pastoral production systems. Agro-pastoral integration sessions cover integrating crop and livestock, mixed farming, crop-livestock interactions, and designing integrated agro-pastoral systems. Dryland soils sessions examine dryland soil types, soil fertility, soil conservation, soil moisture, and managing dryland soils. Water management sessions cover water harvesting, dryland irrigation, water conservation, soil moisture management, and managing water in arid lands. Drought resilience sessions examine drought management, early warning systems, climate adaptation, drought-resistant farming, and building resilience in dryland communities. Range management sessions cover rangeland ecology, pasture management, carrying capacity, rotational grazing, and managing and conserving rangelands. Livestock production sessions involve livestock in drylands, drought-tolerant breeds, livestock feeding, livestock health, and managing livestock in arid conditions. Dryland cropping systems sessions cover intercropping, crop rotation, agroforestry, conservation tillage, and designing dryland cropping systems. Field work provides hands-on experience in dryland farms, pastoral areas, rangelands, and research stations. Research methodology sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering dryland agriculture research methods, experimental design, and data analysis. Guest lectures from KALRO researchers, NDMA officials, ICARDA scientists, and dryland agriculture practitioners provide real-world insights. The two-year programme culminates in a research thesis.

The trade offs

In its favour

Egerton University offers both MSc and PhD in Dryland Agro-Pastoral Systems through its established Faculty of Agriculture at Njoro Campus.
Kenya's large arid and semi-arid lands, pastoral economy, drought challenges, and food security needs create moderate demand for qualified dryland agriculture professionals.
Programme addresses critical national challenges of food security, drought resilience, and sustainable production in Kenya's drylands.
Career opportunities with KALRO, NDMA, MoALD, ICARDA, FAO, NGOs, and pastoral development organisations.

Against it

Programme is full-time only at Egerton, which may not accommodate working professionals.
Programme requires agriculture, animal science, or environmental science background, which may exclude some graduates.
Field work in arid and semi-arid areas may be challenging due to harsh conditions and remote locations.
Limited number of institutions offering the programme may restrict geographic access for prospective students.

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

Public189k to 189k

189k at Egerton University189k at Egerton 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

Egerton ~189K/yr (egerton.ac.ke FOA). Other inst. unverified for this specific course.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. KALRO supports dryland agriculture research. ICARDA provides research funding for dryland agriculture. FAO supports dryland management capacity building. The programme's dryland and food security focus attracts donor and international organisation funding.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
KALRO Research Grants
ICARDA Research Funding

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate dryland agriculture studies at recognised universities.
KALRO Research Grants
GrantKsh 400,000Kenyan
KALRO provides research grants for dryland agriculture research, supporting postgraduate research in dryland crop and livestock production.
ICARDA Research Funding
GrantKsh 400,000
ICARDA provides research funding for dryland agriculture research, supporting training and research in dry areas globally.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: The programme is designed for agriculture, animal science, environmental science, range management, and natural resource management graduates. Two-year full-time programme at Egerton. Egerton requires Second Class Honours Upper Division or Lower Division with 2 years experience. Application fee KES 2,000 payable to KCB Account No. 1101906812. Egerton also offers PhD in Dryland and Agro-Pastoral Systems.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Assignments
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, field reports, case studies, dryland system analysis projects, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination30% of the mark
Written examinations covering dryland crop production, pastoral systems, water management, and range management, conducted at end of each semester.
Field and Practical Assessment
Practical40% of the mark
Assessment of field work, dryland farm assessment, rangeland assessment, community engagement, and practical field reports.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on a dryland agro-pastoral systems topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and dryland agriculture knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Egerton University offers MSc and PhD in Dryland Agro-Pastoral Systems through its Faculty of Agriculture at Njoro Campus. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate dryland agriculture training. NDMA manages drought in Kenya's arid lands.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Egerton University offers MSc and PhD in Dryland Agro-Pastoral Systems through its Faculty of Agriculture at Njoro Campus. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate dryland agriculture training.
National Drought Management Authority (NDMA)
Professional accreditation
NDMA manages drought in Kenya's arid lands. Graduates working in drought management and dryland development may collaborate with NDMA on drought resilience initiatives.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Dryland Agriculture Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 450,000
Develops and implements dryland agriculture programmes, supporting crop and livestock production in arid and semi-arid lands.
Agro-Pastoral System Manager
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages agro-pastoral systems, overseeing integrated crop-livestock production, and ensuring sustainable production in drylands.
Range Manager
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages rangelands, overseeing pasture management, grazing systems, and ensuring sustainable rangeland use and conservation.
Agricultural Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Conducts dryland agriculture research, studying crop varieties, livestock systems, water management, and contributing to dryland science.
Extension Officer
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 350,000
Provides extension services to dryland farmers and pastoralists, delivering technical support and promoting sustainable dryland practices.
University Lecturer
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches dryland agriculture and agro-pastoral systems in universities, conducting research and training future dryland agriculture professionals.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as dryland agriculture specialists, agro-pastoral system managers, and range managers in government agencies, research institutions, and NGOs.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

GIS Software
SoftwarePrimary
Geographic information system for dryland mapping, land use analysis, rangeland monitoring, and spatial analysis of dryland agro-pastoral systems.
SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical software for dryland agriculture research data analysis, field experiment analysis, and statistical modelling in dryland studies.
Drought Monitoring Tools
Tools
Drought monitoring and early warning tools used by NDMA for drought assessment, vegetation monitoring, and drought response planning.
R Statistical Computing
Software
Open-source statistical computing for dryland agriculture data analysis, ecological modelling, and research data analysis.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Dryland agro-pastoral systems is just about farming in dry areas.
The programme involves complex system design, pastoral ecology, water management, drought resilience, and research, far beyond basic dryland farming.
Agriculture in drylands is unproductive and not worth studying.
Drylands cover 80% of Kenya's land area and support millions of livelihoods; with proper management, dryland agriculture can be productive and sustainable.
There is limited demand for dryland agriculture specialists in Kenya.
Kenya's large arid and semi-arid lands, pastoral economy, drought challenges, and food security needs create moderate demand for qualified dryland agriculture professionals.
This programme is only for agriculture graduates.
The programme accepts graduates from animal science, environmental science, range management, natural resource management, and related fields with dryland or agriculture background.
Dryland agriculture is old-fashioned with no innovation.
Dryland agriculture involves modern technologies including drought-tolerant varieties, precision water management, climate-smart agriculture, and digital early warning systems.
A master's in dryland agro-pastoral systems is redundant after a bachelor's in agriculture.
The master's provides specialised dryland knowledge, research capability, and career progression to senior dryland agriculture, research, and policy positions.