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Doctor of Philosophy in Sustainable Agriculture

The Doctor of Philosophy in Sustainable Agriculture is a doctoral programme offered at Egerton University through the Faculty of Agriculture and at Kenyatta University through the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in sustainable agriculture, agroecology and climate-smart agriculture.

Duration
3-5 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 367,200
Ksh 1,101,600 to Ksh 1,836,000 total
Private tuition
Ksh 313,700
Ksh 941,100 to Ksh 1,568,500 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 367,200 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,101,600 to Ksh 1,836,000 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 3-5 years, full-time, part-time, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 2 institutions.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

The programme addresses Kenya's agricultural sustainability research and food security development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in sustainable agriculture, agroecology, climate-smart agriculture, conservation agriculture, organic farming, soil health, water management, crop-livestock integration, agricultural biodiversity, sustainable pest management and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops sustainable agriculture insights for Kenya's food security and environmental challenges.

Kenya's food security, climate change impacts on agriculture, soil degradation, water scarcity, agricultural biodiversity loss, unsustainable farming practices, smallholder farmer livelihoods, agricultural policy, SDG 2 on zero hunger and the demand for sustainable agriculture research create demand for doctoral-level expertise. The programme supports Kenya's agricultural sustainability and food security goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, field sessions and supervised research. At Egerton, the Faculty of Agriculture offers PhD in Sustainable Agriculture. Application fee KSh 2,000. At KU, the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences offers related programmes. KSh 367,200/year for East Africans. Application fee KSh 3,000.

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

What you study

10 subjects
  • Advanced Sustainable Agriculture and Agroecology
  • Climate-Smart Agriculture and Adaptation
  • Conservation Agriculture and Soil Health
  • Organic Farming Systems
  • Sustainable Water Management in Agriculture
  • Crop-Livestock Integration and Farming Systems
  • Agricultural Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
  • Sustainable Pest and Disease Management
  • Agricultural Systems Modelling and Analysis
  • Research Methods in Sustainable Agriculture

Modules

8 in the programme

  • Advanced Sustainable Agriculture and Agroecology

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Sustainable agriculture, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.

  • Climate-Smart Agriculture and Adaptation

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

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

  • Conservation Agriculture and Soil Health

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

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

  • Crop-Livestock Integration and Farming Systems

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

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

  • Agricultural Biodiversity and Genetic Resources

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

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

  • 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

  • Agroecology

    Research on agroecology

  • Climate-Smart Agriculture

    Research on climate-smart agriculture

  • Conservation Agriculture

    Research on conservation agriculture

  • Organic Farming Systems

    Research on organic farming

A day as a student

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

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's food security and climate change create demandFieldwork in remote farming areas is challenging
Access to KALRO, FAO, IITA and ICRAFRequires multidisciplinary knowledge
Research contributes to food security and sustainabilityResearch funding for agriculture can be competitive

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 367k
245k at Egerton University367k at Kenyatta University
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), KU 367K/yr (ku.ac.ke). 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

  • NACOSTI Research Grant

    GrantKenyan

    Science and technology researchers in Kenya

  • HELB Postgraduate Scholarship

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan postgraduate students

  • 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 Egerton: MSc from Egerton or recognised institution. Faculty of Agriculture. PhD in Sustainable Agriculture. Application fee KSh 2,000. At KU: MSc from KU or recognised institution. School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. KSh 367,200/year. Application fee KSh 3,000.

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

When it next starts

Taught at 2 institutions
January 20272 institutions

Including Egerton University, Kenyatta University.

May 20272 institutions

Including Egerton University, Kenyatta University.

September 20272 institutions

Including Egerton University, Kenyatta University.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • Thesis

    Thesis50% of the mark

    Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

  • 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

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 Egerton University (Faculty of Agriculture, PhD in Sustainable Agriculture, application fee KSh 2,000) and Kenyatta University (School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, KSh 367,200/year, application fee KSh 3,000).

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Agroecology Consultant

    Moderate demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000

    Consulting on sustainable farming

  • Climate-Smart Agriculture Specialist

    High demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000

    Climate-smart agriculture at FAO and NGOs

  • Sustainable Agriculture Researcher

    High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000

    Research at KALRO and IITA

  • University Professor

    High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Teaching and research in agriculture departments

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, sustainable agriculture researchers, agroecology consultants and climate-smart agriculture specialists. They work at KALRO, FAO, IITA, 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, conservation agriculture, water management and farming systems.

  • There is no demand for sustainable agriculture PhDs in Kenya.

    Kenya's food security and climate change create demand.

  • Sustainable agriculture research is purely fieldwork.

    The programme uses systems modelling, GIS, remote sensing and socio-economic analysis.

  • Only agronomists study this PhD.

    The programme attracts ecologists, economists, soil scientists and environmental scientists.

Further reading

Read next