Agriculture

Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural and Rural Innovation

The Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural and Rural Innovation is a regional doctoral programme offered at Egerton University as part of the RUFORUM network. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research on agricultural innovation systems, rural development and the transformation of livelihoods in agricultural communities. The programme integrates social science perspectives with agricultural science to address complex development challenges.

Students engage with advanced topics in innovation systems theory, participatory research methods, agricultural services delivery, organisational development, knowledge management and rural transformation. The curriculum emphasises original research that examines how agricultural innovations are developed, disseminated and adopted in African contexts.

Kenya's agricultural sector employs the majority of the rural population and contributes significantly to GDP. The programme addresses the need for experts who can bridge the gap between agricultural research, extension services and farmer adoption of innovations. It supports Kenya's agricultural transformation agenda and the African Union's Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme.

Teaching is delivered through coursework at Egerton University's main campus in Njoro, followed by independent field research in rural communities. Students attend RUFORUM network seminars, present research at regional conferences and engage with agricultural development organisations. The programme is offered full-time and part-time with a minimum duration of three years.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, rural development researchers, agricultural innovation specialists, extension service directors and consultants to development organisations. They work in universities, government ministries, NGOs and international agricultural research organisations.

The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in agriculture, rural development, extension education or social sciences who wish to contribute original research to agricultural innovation and rural transformation in Africa.

Duration: 3 years
Public, up to: Ksh 326,400
Private, up to: Ksh 168,000
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: 8 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Innovation Systems Theory
Participatory Research Methods
Agricultural Services Delivery
Organisational Development
Knowledge Management and Communication
Rural Transformation Studies
Quantitative Research Methods
Agricultural Development in Africa
Extension Evaluation
Social Entrepreneurship in Agriculture

Modules

8 in the programme

Agricultural and Rural Development in Africa
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Historical and contemporary perspectives on agricultural development in Africa, exploring development theories, sustainable practices, and their application in addressing contemporary challenges.
Innovations for Agricultural and Rural Development
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Theories and frameworks for understanding agricultural innovation systems, exploring development theories, sustainable practices, and their application in addressing contemporary challenges in.
Participatory Methods and Action Research
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Participatory research approaches for engaging communities in innovation, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to.
Quantitative Research and Statistical Applications
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Statistical methods for analysing agricultural and rural development data, including probability theory, hypothesis testing, regression analysis, and statistical software applications for doctoral.
Agricultural Services Delivery and Social Entrepreneurship
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Models for delivering agricultural services and promoting entrepreneurship, examining social theories, cultural dynamics, and their implications for research and professional practice.
Knowledge Management and Communication
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Managing and communicating agricultural knowledge for innovation, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Departmental Seminars
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Research presentations and peer review of doctoral work, providing a platform for doctoral candidates to present research findings, engage with peer feedback, and explore contemporary debates in.
Thesis Research
Year 3Semester 26 creditsCore
Doctoral thesis research and dissertation writing, involving original research, literature review, data analysis, and the production of a doctoral dissertation contributing new knowledge to the.

Specialisations

Rural Livelihoods
Research on rural household strategies and livelihood diversification
Agricultural Innovation Systems
Research on how agricultural innovations are developed and adopted
Social Entrepreneurship in Agriculture
Entrepreneurial approaches to agricultural development
Extension and Advisory Services
Innovations in agricultural extension delivery

A day as a student

A typical day involves reviewing literature on innovation systems, conducting field interviews with farmers and agricultural organisations, analysing qualitative data from rural communities, attending seminars on agricultural development, meeting supervisors to discuss thesis progress, and engaging with RUFORUM network researchers.

The trade offs

In its favour

Part of RUFORUM regional network with access to pan-African research community
RUFORUM research grants available for doctoral students
Research directly impacts agricultural development and rural livelihoods

Against it

Field research requires extended stays in rural communities
Interdisciplinary nature requires competence in both social and agricultural sciences
Limited number of supervisors with innovation systems specialisation

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 326k

252k at Egerton University326k at Kenyatta University

Private150k to 168k

150k at Mount Kenya University168k at Kenya Methodist 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 252K/yr (egerton.ac.ke). KU 326K unverified. KeMU 168K, MKU 150K

HELB provides postgraduate loans. RUFORUM offers research grants for doctoral students at member universities. DAAD provides scholarships for postgraduate study in Kenya.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
RUFORUM Research Grant
DAAD Kenya Scholarship

Scholarships

3 recorded

DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
RUFORUM Research Grant
Grant
Doctoral students at RUFORUM member universities

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: Candidates must hold a Master's degree in agricultural-related sciences or social sciences from a recognised university. A 4-5 page concept note indicating research interests is required.

MSc in Agriculture, Rural Development, Extension or related social science field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Comprehensive Examinations
Examination20% of the mark
Written examinations on core courses
Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, research exercises and seminar presentations

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Egerton University as a RUFORUM regional doctoral programme. The programme is hosted at the African Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Agriculture and Agribusiness Management (CESAAM).

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

Rural Development Researcher
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 380,000
Research at universities, RUFORUM and international research institutes
Agricultural Innovation Specialist
High demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 350,000
Designing and managing agricultural innovation programmes
Extension Service Director
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 320,000
Leading agricultural extension services at county or national level
University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in agriculture and rural development departments

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, rural development researchers, agricultural innovation specialists and extension service directors. They work in universities, government, NGOs and international agricultural research organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Agricultural innovation is just about new farming technologies.
The programme examines the entire innovation system including social, organisational and institutional dimensions of agricultural change.
Rural innovation research is not rigorous.
The programme employs both qualitative and quantitative research methods to produce evidence-based scholarship.
This programme is only for agriculture graduates.
It attracts social scientists, development practitioners and agriculture graduates interested in rural transformation.
There is no demand for rural innovation PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's agricultural transformation agenda and devolution create demand for experts in rural innovation systems.