Agriculture

Doctor of Philosophy in Food Security

The Doctor of Philosophy in Food Security is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Agricultural Economics and at Egerton University through the Faculty of Agriculture.

It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in food security, food systems and agricultural policy. The programme addresses Kenya's food security research and policy development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in food security analysis, agricultural economics, food policy, food systems analysis, rural development, climate change and food security, agricultural productivity, food value chains, food access and affordability, vulnerability assessment and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops food security insights for Kenya's food security challenges.

Kenya's recurring food insecurity, drought and famine, climate change impacts on agriculture, rural poverty, food price volatility, agricultural productivity gaps, food value chain inefficiencies, school feeding programmes and the demand for food security policy research create demand for doctoral-level food security expertise. The programme supports Kenya's food security and agricultural development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, field sessions and supervised research. At UoN, the Department of Agricultural Economics offers PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics with food security as a research focus. Tuition KSh 432,000/year, total KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years. Application fee KSh 4,000. At Egerton, food security research is conducted through the Faculty of Agriculture. Application fee KSh 2,000.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, food security researchers, agricultural policy analysts, food programme managers and development consultants. They work in universities, Ministry of Agriculture, FAO, World Food Programme, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization and international organisations.

Duration: 3-4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 464,000
Private, up to: Ksh 313,700
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: 5 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Food Security Analysis and Measurement
Agricultural Economics and Food Policy
Food Systems Analysis and Modelling
Climate Change and Food Security
Agricultural Productivity and Technology
Food Value Chains and Market Analysis
Rural Development and Livelihoods
Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Management
Food Access, Affordability and Nutrition
Research Methods in Food Security

Modules

8 in the programme

Food Security Analysis and Measurement
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Food security analysis, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.
Agricultural Economics and Food Policy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Food policy, analysing policy frameworks, implementation strategies, and their impact on practice within the Kenyan and broader African context.
Climate Change and Food Security
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Climate change, covering climate science principles, adaptation strategies, and their application in environmental policy.
Food Value Chains and Market Analysis
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Value chains, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.
Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Management
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Vulnerability assessment, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Research Methods in Food Security
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research methods, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the field.
Departmental Seminars
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Research presentations and peer review, providing a platform for doctoral candidates to present research findings, engage with peer feedback, and explore contemporary debates in the field.
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

Food Policy Analysis
Research on food policy
Vulnerability Assessment
Research on vulnerability
Food Value Chains
Research on food value chains
Climate Change and Food Security
Research on climate change impacts

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting food security research, analysing agricultural data, reviewing food policy literature, attending seminars on food systems, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with FAO, WFP, KALRO and Ministry of Agriculture for research collaboration. Fieldwork in rural communities is common.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's food insecurity creates strong demand
Access to FAO, WFP, KALRO and IFPRI
Research contributes to food security improvement

Against it

UoN PhD is expensive (KSh 1,432,000 total)
Fieldwork in drought-affected areas is challenging
Requires multidisciplinary knowledge

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

Public245k to 464k

245k 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

Egerton 245K/yr (egerton.ac.ke), UoN 464K/yr. KeMU 168K (eafinder), Kabarak 314K/yr

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. NACOSTI provides research grants for science and technology research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
NACOSTI Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Science and technology researchers in Kenya
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At UoN: MSc from UoN or recognised institution. Department of Agricultural Economics. PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics (AAE 8) with food security focus. Total KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years. Application fee KSh 4,000. At Egerton: MSc from Egerton or recognised institution. Faculty of Agriculture. Application fee KSh 2,000.

MSc in Agricultural Economics, Agriculture, Economics or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, field projects and seminar presentations
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at University of Nairobi (Department of Agricultural Economics, PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics AAE 8 with food security focus, total KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years, application fee KSh 4,000) and Egerton University (Faculty of Agriculture, application fee KSh 2,000).

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

Agricultural Policy Analyst
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Policy at Ministry of Agriculture
Food Security Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Research at KALRO and FAO
University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in agriculture departments
Food Programme Manager
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Programme management at WFP

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, food security researchers, agricultural policy analysts and food programme managers. They work at FAO, WFP, KALRO, Ministry of Agriculture and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Food security is just about food production.
The field covers food access, affordability, vulnerability, policy, value chains and climate change.
There is no demand for food security PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's recurring food insecurity creates strong demand.
Food security research is purely descriptive.
The programme uses econometrics, modelling, GIS, vulnerability analysis and policy research.
Only agriculturalists study this PhD.
The programme attracts economists, nutritionists and development professionals.