UKZN at the Heart of Transforming Agricultural Education in Benin

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In a compelling demonstration of African universities leading African solutions, the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) is spearheading an ambitious teacher-training initiative that is reshaping agricultural education in the Republic of Benin, West Africa.

Launched in September 2022, this large-scale project prepares 614 aspiring agricultural teachers to train the next generation of farmers, innovators, and rural development leaders.

What sets this initiative apart is not only its magnitude, but its uniquely African character. Fully funded by the Government of Benin through the Agence pour le Développement de l’Enseignement Technique (Technical Education Development Agency or ADET in short), the programme is jointly implemented by UKZN and the National University of Agriculture (UNA) in Benin. At UKZN, the project is co-ordinated by the School of Agriculture and Sciences, in partnership with the Corporate Relations Division (CRD) to ensure seamless communication, stakeholder engagement, and brand visibility.

The programme supports two distinct but complementary student cohorts:

•    475 Bachelor’s degree holders in Agriculture are completing a two-year programme that integrates a master’s degree with formal teacher training.

•    139 diploma-level graduates are enrolled in a three-year pathway leading to both a bachelor’s degree and a teaching qualification, preparing them to serve as adjunct agricultural teachers.

This dual-track model ensures that Benin builds capacity at multiple levels of its education system, producing qualified agricultural educators who will inspire and guide learners at different stages of their schooling.

Following several months of groundwork, including short courses delivered between September 2022 and April 2023 to assess competencies and shape curriculum, the core academic programme officially commenced in May 2023. The curriculum was carefully designed to reflect both South African and Beninese contexts, aligning pedagogical approaches while ensuring relevance to Africa’s agricultural challenges and opportunities.

Despite differences in language, education systems, and institutional cultures, the collaboration was underpinned by a shared commitment to advancing agricultural education in Africa, for Africa.

The curriculum, jointly crafted by UKZN and UNA, spans 12 agricultural domains and emphasises both pedagogy and applied learning. With 70% of the training devoted to practical, hands-on engagement, the programme equips students not only to teach but to innovate, offering context-specific solutions to real agricultural challenges.

Graduates of this initiative will therefore emerge as more than teachers; they will be change agents and catalysts for agricultural transformation, empowering learners to drive food security, sustainability, and rural development.

Nearly three years into its implementation, the initiative has reached three significant milestones:

1. Completion of master’s coursework: In December 2024, all 475 master’s students concluded their academic coursework. Between January and April 2025, they undertook teaching placements and research projects, including detailed teaching plans.

2. Bachelor’s students advancing: In April 2025, the 139 bachelor’s students successfully completed their academic and pedagogy coursework. They have entered their final year, including a year-long internship and a mini-research project to consolidate classroom readiness.

3. Graduation of master’s students: In May 2025, all 475 candidates passed their final examinations, which included written assessments, pedagogical certification, and rigorous oral defences. Assessment panels, comprising UKZN trainers, UNA academics, and Benin’s Ministry of Education officials, ensured robust quality assurance. The graduates are now poised to take up teaching positions across Benin’s technical schools.

To sustain momentum, UKZN’s contract has been extended to May 2026, ensuring continuity for the bachelor’s cohort while UNA prepares to assume full responsibility for the programme.

This initiative exemplifies UKZN’s commitment to transformative, pan-African engagement. Through strong collaboration with UNA and ADET, as well as co-ordination across academic and administrative arms of UKZN, the project reflects what is possible when African universities invest in each other’s success.

Unlike donor-driven models, this partnership is built on shared values, mutual respect, and African-led priorities. It demonstrates that universities on the continent can set the agenda, deliver large-scale training, and design solutions for Africa’s development.

As the bachelor’s students enter their final year of training, the atmosphere is one of pride, optimism, and anticipation. The qualifications being conferred are unprecedented, blending agricultural theory, practice, research, and pedagogy in ways that position graduates as educators and innovators.

For UKZN, UNA, and the Government of Benin, this project is not simply a contractual success but a legacy in the making. It illustrates the transformative power of African universities that are leading African futures.

It is a legacy of vision, collaboration, and innovation that will grow long after the final student graduates.

Words: Neliswa Phungula and Steven Worth

Photographs: Supplied