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Doctor of Philosophy in Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture

The Doctor of Philosophy in Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection and at Egerton University through the Faculty of Agriculture.

Duration
3-4 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 464,000
Ksh 1,392,000 to Ksh 1,856,000 total
Private tuition
Ksh 313,700
Ksh 941,100 to Ksh 1,254,800 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 464,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,392,000 to Ksh 1,856,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 313,700 a year at a private one.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of Masters Degree or above, plus 1 subject grade. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 3-4 years, full-time, part-time, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 1 institution.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Aquaculture Technologist, at 3 out of 100.The detail

The programme

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

Overview

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

Students engage with advanced topics in sustainable agriculture, crop science, soil health, climate-smart agriculture, agricultural innovation, food systems, agroecology, conservation agriculture, precision agriculture, agricultural extension and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops sustainable agriculture insights for Kenya's food security challenges.

Kenya's recurring food insecurity, climate change impacts, declining soil fertility, shrinking arable land, agricultural productivity gaps, sustainable intensification needs, agroecological transitions, smallholder farming challenges and the demand for sustainable agriculture research create demand for doctoral-level expertise. The programme supports Kenya's food security and sustainable agriculture development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, field sessions and supervised research. At UoN, the Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection offers PhD in Agronomy with sustainable agriculture focus. Tuition KSh 432,000/year, total approximately KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years. Application fee KSh 4,000. At Egerton, sustainable agriculture research is conducted through the Faculty of Agriculture. Application fee KSh 2,000.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, sustainable agriculture researchers, agricultural extension directors, climate-smart agriculture specialists and food security consultants. They work in universities, KALRO, Ministry of Agriculture, FAO and international organisations.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Sustainable Agriculture and Agroecology
  • Climate-Smart Agriculture and Adaptation
  • Soil Health and Conservation Agriculture
  • Crop Science and Sustainable Intensification
  • Precision Agriculture and Digital Farming
  • Agricultural Innovation and Technology Transfer
  • Food Systems and Value Chains
  • Conservation Agriculture and Resource Management
  • Agricultural Extension and Rural Development
  • Research Methods in Sustainable Agriculture

Modules

8 in the programme

  • Sustainable Agriculture and Agroecology

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Sustainable agriculture, covering ecological principles, environmental management approaches, and sustainability challenges in contemporary contexts.

  • Climate-Smart Agriculture and Adaptation

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Climate-smart agriculture, covering agricultural principles, production technologies, and their application in sustainable farming systems.

  • Soil Health and Conservation Agriculture

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Soil health, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.

  • Precision Agriculture and Digital Farming

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Precision agriculture, covering agricultural principles, production technologies, and their application in sustainable farming systems.

  • Agricultural Innovation and Technology Transfer

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Innovation, covering technological tools, digital platforms, and information systems relevant to contemporary research and professional practice.

  • Research Methods in Sustainable Agriculture

    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

  • Conservation Agriculture

    Research on conservation agriculture

  • Precision Agriculture

    Research on precision agriculture

  • Agroecology

    Research on agroecology

  • Climate-Smart Agriculture

    Research on climate-smart agriculture

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting sustainable agriculture research, analysing crop and soil data, reviewing agroecology literature, attending seminars on climate-smart agriculture, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with KALRO, FAO and Ministry of Agriculture for research collaboration. Fieldwork at experimental farms and smallholder communities is common.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's food insecurity and climate change create demandUoN PhD is expensive (KSh 1,432,000 total)
Access to KALRO, FAO, ICRAF and ICRISATFieldwork in remote farming areas is challenging
Research contributes to food security and sustainabilityRequires 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, 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

  • HELB Postgraduate Scholarship

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan postgraduate students

  • NACOSTI Research Grant

    GrantKenyan

    Science and technology researchers in Kenya

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

    ScholarshipKenyan

    Postgraduate students in Kenya

Scholarships you could apply for

2 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade
Masters Degreeminimum entry
Alternative entry

At UoN: MSc from UoN or recognised institution. Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection. PhD in Agronomy with sustainable agriculture focus. Total approximately 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.

Subject requirements
MSc in Agriculture, Agronomy, Crop Science, Environmental Science or related fieldRelevant Masters from recognised university

When it next starts

Taught at 1 institution
January 20271 institution

Including Kisii University.

May 20271 institution

Including Kisii University.

September 20271 institution

Including Kisii University.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • Thesis Proposal Defence

    Oral defence20% of the mark

    Defence of research proposal before faculty panel

  • Coursework

    Continuous assessment30% of the mark

    Assignments, field projects and seminar presentations

  • Thesis

    Thesis50% of the mark

    Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

Accreditation

  • Commission for University Education

    AcademicRequired

    Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at University of Nairobi (Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, PhD in Agronomy with sustainable agriculture focus, total approximately KSh 1,432,000, application fee KSh 4,000) and Egerton University (Faculty of Agriculture, application fee KSh 2,000).

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Climate-Smart Agriculture Specialist

    High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000

    Climate-smart agriculture at FAO

  • University Professor

    High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Teaching and research in agriculture departments

  • Agricultural Extension Director

    High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Extension at Ministry of Agriculture

  • Sustainable Agriculture Researcher

    High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Research at KALRO and research institutes

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, sustainable agriculture researchers, agricultural extension directors and climate-smart agriculture specialists. They work at KALRO, FAO, Ministry of Agriculture and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Sustainable agriculture is just about organic farming.

    The field covers agroecology, climate-smart agriculture, precision farming, soil health and conservation agriculture.

  • There is no demand for this PhD in Kenya.

    Kenya's food insecurity and climate change create strong demand.

  • Sustainable agriculture research is purely fieldwork.

    The programme uses GIS, remote sensing, statistical modelling and systems analysis.

  • Only agronomists study this PhD.

    The programme attracts environmental scientists, economists and extension officers.

Further reading

Read next