MSc. Dry Land Farming Master/MBA

Arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) make up to about 80% of the total land mass in Kenya. The ASALs are characterized by limited and unreliable rainfall, fragile soils and relatively high temperatures. Currently, the ASALs in Kenya are largely underutilized for economic benefit of the local communities and the country at large. It is against this background that a curriculum on Dryland Agriculture and Resources Management has been developed as a strategy for building on human capital to harness the available resources for economic benefit. The curriculum will produce graduates with relevant knowledge and skills to manage and conserve dryland ecosystems. In particular it will equip the graduates with skills to identify challenges and opportunities of ASAL system and innovatively harness resource utilization within sustainable community livelihoods and socio-cultural systems.
The ASALs forms one of the national resources yet to be integrated in economic development. This has resulted in the regions inordinately low contribution to the national economy often characterized with high poverty indices and low food security. There is need for effective management of resources in the ASAls to stimulate economic growth and improve livelihoods while maintaining a healthy ecosystem. It is with this in mind that the, Kenya‘s vision 2030 emphasizes the importance of the arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) as an important component in the economic pillar. The Government plan in ―Strategy for Revitalization of Agriculture for 2004-2014‖ also recognizes the importance of agriculture in national growth and development and commits to expand agriculture production in ASALs through expanding irrigation. These can be realized by investing in a focused training of personnel capable of identifying opportunities and resources for utilization and development in the drylands. These personnel have to be skilled at integrated approaches that are not only effective but ecologically sustainable. The MSc curriculum in Dryland Farming is designed to address these needs.