Concept Paper of the Agric Faclty

CONCEPT PAPER
FOR
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
THE FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT
STUDIES
AT
WALTER SISULU UNIVERSITY
MTHATHA, EASTERN CAPE
Submitted to:
• WSU SENATE AND COUNCIL
• PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Date:10 APRIL 2009

PREPARED BY FOUNDING TASK TEAM
Professor : L. Obi, Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Academic Affairs
Professor : P.N. Luswazi, Director, Centre for Rural Development
Professor : S. Songca, Executive Dean, Faculty of Science and Engineering
Professor : N.Jumbam, Director of School of Environmental Sciences, WSU
Dr : I.Lwanga Iga, Manager, Animal Diseases Surveillance Unit and
Export Control, Department of Agriculture Eastern Cape Province
Professor : B.Nakani, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry
Mrs : N.Sangqu, Manager, Agricultural Education and Training and
Quality Assurance, Department of Agriculture, Eastern Cape Province
Mr : H. Ntsabo, Principal, Tsolo Institute for Rural Development and
Agriculture
ASSIGNED BY
Professor : M.M. Balintulo Vice Chancellor Walter Sisulu University
Hon. MEC : G. Nkwinti, Provincial Department of Agriculture
CONTACT PERSONS
Professor : Larry Obi
D.V.C Research and Academic Affairs WSU.
Professor : P.N. Luswazi
Director Centre for Rural Development WSU
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Who/What Inspires WSU?
The following thoughts from African and International Renown Scholars have served as a point of
departure and inspiration for WSU staff and Students in their Transformation towards a Comprehensive
and Developmental University. It is in this context and in furthering such goals that the establishment of a
new faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies has emerged.
Underdevelopment is one of the most difficult problems in the world...
and the greater the problem the higher the need for scientific enquiry.
There is therefore a dire need for vibrant research universities
that are located in the periphery to conduct such enquiry.
Jürgen Zimmer (2001)
(German Scholar)
The changing environment thus calls for profound reforms
of institutional structures and study programmes as well as of the means and
methods of teaching, training and learning. But this does not rest the debate on the
mission and role of the African university. There are still serious “prevailing uncertainties
surrounding the concept of a university mission-the form it can profitably take,
how to secure it, how it should be owned by all concerned and, thereby, inspire sound
management and have the best chance of being successfully accomplished”
(UNESCO1992)”.
The university needs to have the self-confidence to say that rural development is
an area that provides opportunities for a high level of intellectual development.
This should not be an issue because the problems posed in rural development
are complex and challenging and require that the best intellects develop
innovative and creative research to assist in their resolution.
(Quote: CRD Director)
(Interpreting Ajayi)
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This document sets out a proposal by Walter Sisulu University for the establishment of a Faculty of
Agriculture and Development Studies which will incorporate utilization of the existing Tsolo Institute of
Agriculture and Rural Development Institute and the Mthatha Dam Aquaculture Complex.
South Africa has to respond to the pressure of Colonial/ Apartheid legacies as well as to the current
economic globalization. The effects of this pressure sip into the underlying social and economic strata
and require urgent and effective response to national and local social disparities. The new South African
dispensation has recognized this inevitable trend of events and it has become increasingly clear that
institutions of higher learning will have to adjust themselves beyond the roles they played in the past, and
embrace the ever increasing developmental challenges of the present.
This call was articulated in the 2001 National Plan for Higher Education, a policy framework of the
Department of Education that required all Higher Education Institutions in South Africa to take
cognizance of their location, revisit their old missions and render them more responsive to the new South
African national development needs. WSU responded by taking its environmental context into account
and ascribed to itself the new identity of a “Developmental University” with Rural Development and
Urban Renewal as major niche areas for teaching, research and community development service. This
Developmental vision cannot be realized without Agricultural and Development studies.
The step of establishing a new faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies in addition to the 4
existing faculties (Health Science, Science and Engineering, Business, Management Sciences and Law
and Education) is appropriate as the Eastern Cape is one of the poorest regions in South Africa with most
of its population living as subsistence farmers in rural areas. Agricultural production is low and few
farmers are in a position to sell surplus produce. Deforestation, soil erosion and over-grazing are
common problems. Migrant labour resulted in a labour drain as men who possessed a vast portion of
agricultural skills and knowledge were drawn out of agriculture. Closely linked to deterioration of
Agriculture was alienation of rural populations from indigenous knowledge and practices pertaining to
food security. Forced removals uprooted the commercial Black farmers and farming life patterns of the
past in areas such as Griqualand East.
It is clear that this region faces a significant challenge in producing sufficient high quality food for its
population while at the same time maintaining and enhancing the integrity of its natural resources,
particularly soil and water. Farmer support and training programs are essential for improving
productivity through better agricultural practices. Appropriately trained agriculturalists and highly skilled
researchers are required to conduct scientific enquiry, and produce knowledge and skills that are capable
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of addressing these difficult problems of underdevelopment in the rural periphery. The University
believes that this can best be achieved by the establishment of a Faculty of Agriculture and
Development Studies to serve primarily the eastern part of the Province.
Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute should review its activities and identify those areas
that need urgent attention in order to meet the impending challenges. Changes need to be brought about
in the farmer training programs implemented thus far. A more Agri-business approach will propel the
institution to greater heights, as trainees will be equipped with skills that allow them to take up
responsible positions in the public, private and non-governmental sectors locally, regionally, nationally
and internationally. Such a goal can easily be reached by taking up partnerships with and outside the
education and training sector. Tsolo Institute will embark vigorously on the promotion of a culture of
application of knowledge and of learning with learner-centeredness as the epicenter. Such measures will
go a long way to enhance an active freethinking mind necessary for applied scholarship.
The Facility Will House The Following Schools:
1. Animal Production and Veterinary Science
2. Agrarian Economics and Agri-Business
3. Environmental and Land Studies
4. Development Studies
5. Crop Production and Soil Science
6. Agricultural Engineering
The Proposed Model and Curriculum Issues
The proposal advances a model that will allow the utilization of the existing facilities at Tsolo and the
Mthatha Dam with facilities at the WSU campus in Nelson Mandela Drive, Mthatha facilities of the
engineering department of the faculty of Science and Engineering in East London and to develop these
into a Faculty which will provide comprehensive agricultural training for the region. In proposing the
utilization of facilities at Tsolo Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development, WSU basis its proposal
on the recommendations that were made by Van Niekerk in his work on the future of Agricultural
Colleges in South Africa which was assigned to him by the National Department of Agriculture. Basing
his recommendations largely on German and Australian models, Van Niekerk proposed that Agricultural
Colleges should be upgraded and attached to Universities.
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For Veterinary Sciences WSU will make use of the active twinning arrangement between the Eastern
Cape Province and Lower Saxony in Germany. This partnership has led to a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) initiated by the Provincial Department of Agriculture that involves the University
of Hanover, Deula Agricultural Institute and Walter Sisulu University. Plans are underway for shared
Veterinary courses part of which would be done in Hanover. There is evidence that many schools in
Africa were started with the “Sandwich” arrangement.
The curriculum will comprise a four year program ranging from basic training in the major natural
scientific disciplines and relevant social sciences to more advanced courses specific to agriculture. The
emphasis will be on practical training to enable graduates to function in the local environment and to
render effective extension services to rural farmers. The proposed course also makes provision for a
multi-exit system in which intermediate qualifications, including certificates and diplomas, may be
obtained through shorter periods of study. The introduction of more advanced offerings, such as food
technology, as well as post graduate programs, will be considered when appropriate. Some closely
related courses such as Rural Resource Management, Nutrition, Water and Water-related diseases will be
located at the Centre for Rural Development and be offered in collaboration with that unit.
When fully operational the faculty will have 6 Schools offering courses from 1st
to 4th
year. Initially
facilities in the Faculty of Science will be used but after the second year of operation it is expected that
the new faculty will have an operational plan that will cover all aspects of practical farming and the use
therefore of Tsolo Institute becomes appropriate. Obviously a development of this nature has significant
financial implications. Provision must be made for Lecturing, laboratory and computer lab staff at the
envisaged level as well as Administration and technical staff. In addition office and laboratory facilities
as well as the associated equipment must be provided for.
In addition to traditional agriculture subjects it is also the intention to provide training in aspects in
integrated Aquaculture/Agriculture using the existing facilities at both Tsolo and the Mthatha Dam
Complex. Aquaculture offers the potential for the production of high quality food at relatively low cost
with the possibility of involving local communities in fish production in outlying farm dams. At present
research funds are provided by the Foundation for Research Development however these funds are not
earmarked for running the facility.
Tripartite Alliance as Driver and About the Founding Task Team
In pursuing the above agenda WSU has gone out far and wide to find like minded partners in government,
higher education, business, politics and Communities. A key partner in this is the Eastern Cape Provincial
Department of Agriculture.
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A tripartite alliance involving the Walter Sisulu University (WSU), the Tsolo Institute for Agricultural
and Rural Development (TARDI), and the Eastern Cape Provincial Government Department of
Agriculture has emerged as a key driver of such an agenda
The formulation of this concept document was assigned to the task team by the Vice Chancellor of WSU
Prof. Marcus Balintulo and the Provincial Honourable MEC for Agriculture, Mr Gugile Nkwinti. It has
been preceded by intensive collaborative meetings and consultations involving committed experienced
and multi-disciplinary professional expertise from Walter Sisulu University, Provincial Department of
Agriculture and Tsolo Institute for Agriculture and Rural Development. In so doing the 3 institutions are
also carrying out a mandate given to them by Eastern Cape Stakeholders who, during the past 3 WSU
Annual Rural Development Conferences have passed a resolution urging the university to work towards
the establishment of a Faculty of Agriculture to produce knowledge and skills that are urgently needed to
address the deteriorated agricultural conditions in the region.
Walter Sisulu University is honoured and motivated by the mandate given to it by regional stakeholders
including the Provincial Government of the Eastern Cape to drive the process of conceptualization and
establishment of a faculty that has the potential to become a Centre of Excellence producing unique and
innovative scientifically based knowledge and models in the areas of Agriculture and Rural Development.
RATIONAL FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE AND
DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AT WSU
• The University is well placed to contribute to agricultural development and training in the Eastern
side of the Eastern Cape region as it is situated in an area not serviced by existing Faculties of
Agriculture. Although Fort Hare has had a Faculty of Agriculture for over 100 years the impact of
the faculty in the Eastern side of Eastern Cape is minimal. The two universities are 400 km apart
and located in different climatic zones. Disadvantaged families cannot afford to send their
children to an agricultural institute that is so far. Also the majority of disadvantaged farmers and
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communities who can gain access to WSU due to its proximity cannot afford the distance to Fort
Hare both in terms of time and expense.
• The Eastern Cape is said to be the poorest province in South Africa and like most of the country
faces a significant challenge in producing sufficient high quality food for its population, while
maintaining and enhancing its natural resources, especially soil and water. In his writings and
speeches Herbert Vilakazi speaks of a “Food Crisis which is linked to a health crisis” It is
essential that extension services be provided to support farmers in the region to enable them to
improve their productivity through better agricultural practices.
• The university sees a need for scientific research based interventions to produce the required
knowledge and skills to address these problems. A prerequisite for this is the training of well
qualified agriculturalists. WSU’s aspiration to establish a training facility which will incorporate
the existing Tsolo Agricultural College and the Mthatha Dam Aquaculture Complex will provide
comprehensive agricultural training for the region.
• The need to transform Tsolo College of Agriculture is quite in line with the new focus on Rural
Development which is currently envisaged by government. There is a need to redesign
curriculum and move from a purely teaching college to a research, integrated agriculture and rural
development, Higher Education Institution.
• The close proximity between the two institutions makes such a partnership easier and cost
effective as both serve the same rural community. Tsolo Institute for Rural Development and
Agriculture has an underutilized infrastructure and enough land for a demonstration farm. The
model to be developed does not create a new institution from scratch but builds on what is
available in terms of experience and infrastructure. The old Partnership between Tsolo College
and the University should be resuscitated in the interest of both parties and the Province.
• The draft Provincial Rural Development Strategy currently being designed by ECSECC
foregrounds Agrarian transformation and the Green Revolution as the main programme for
transformation. Agriculture and Development Studies position WSU very well to participate in the
implementation of this strategy and also drawing from the experience of the WSU Centre for
Rural Development has made since 2005.
• WSU has a very active partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding with Mhlontlo
Local Municipality where Tsolo Institute is located. Already a number of pilot community
development projects of the university are in that municipality e.g. – a health clinic of the Faculty
of Health Sciences, a soap making cooperative in Mhlakulo, linked to the CRD and Department of
Chemistry and a pilot programme in Integrated Sustainable Rural Development (ISRD) which if it
is successful will give birth to a unique model in ISRD which can be rolled out nationwide.
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• The new faculty will specialize in applied research focusing on the vast land that is lying fallow
and livelihoods of impoverished communities who as a result of long years of migrant labour have
become alienated from their land. The new faculty will also promote research, on innovation,
application and mainstreaming of related areas such as appropriate technology and Indigenous
Knowledge Systems.
• Tsolo Agricultural College is situated in the neighborhood of unexploited natural resources which
includes Forestry Elangeni Forests, Khoisan Caves with paintings huge river basins and Tsitsa
Waterfalls. The faculty will contribute to development of rural entrepreneurship to support rural
communities in their fight against poverty and disease, unemployment. It will help the 2½
millions especially in the Eastern side of the Eastern Cape to rediscover themselves as a proud
people whose heritage and livelihood has historically been shaped by their closeness to the land
and its productivity.
INSTITUTIONAL HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO PROPOSAL FOR NEW FACULTY
Mandate of WSU
WSU has a clear perception of its mandate in the new South African dispensation. While maintaining the
traditional role of a University as a centre of higher learning and theoretical and other intellectual enquiry,
it understands itself as playing a larger and more specific role defined by Yusuf (1973) as that of a
Developmental University, thus ascribing to itself the imperative of making a significant contribution to
local, regional, national and continental development.
The outcome should be production of knowledge that is relevant to development and creation of a new
kind of graduate who can understand and respond to problems of poverty and underdevelopment.
Recognizing therefore its setting in a predominantly rural and economically poor region, WSU has
refocused the missions of its merged institutions, Border and Eastern Cape Technikons and the University
of Transkei, to address in its teaching, research and community development work specific needs of rural
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and peri-urban areas. Further, the quality of life including Agricultural production in the region in which
WSU is located has so deteriorated that the institution sees a need for urgent innovative, scientific and
research-based interventions.
Looked at from the broader context of Pan African Scholarship, the WSU/CRD in terms of its purpose
and long term vision is also a response to a call that has been repeatedly made by the African political and
academic leadership and clearly articulated by J.F. Ade Ajayi in his analysis of the African Experience
with Higher Education:
“The practice of African universities of simply defining their mission in terms of the
three functions of teaching, research and public service is inadequate for the future. There
is great need for these universities to go beyond mere pronouncements about their
mission; they should set themselves certain fundamental and unambiguous goals to be
targeted for accomplishment within a realistic and targeted time frame consonant with their
capacity and capabilities; and to determine the strategies for their achievement. This
requires clear vision of the mission and of the action that has to be undertaken; and it must
be approached with the conviction, determination and singleness of purpose with which (i)
missionaries went out of Europe in the nineteenth century with a mission to follow the
clearly defined path of duty at any and all hazards, convinced that it was necessary for
them to go and with which Anti Colonial – Anti Apartheid Liberation freedom fighters took
up the mission of Liberating their oppressed people and (ii) an entire industry in the United
States had a mission to put a man on the moon within ten years, clearly articulated, and
forcefully and suitably presented to those who had to carry it out.” (UNESCO, 1992)
WSU – Vision
Walter Sisulu University (WSU) will be a leading African comprehensive university focusing on
innovative educational, research and community partnership programmes that are responsive to local,
regional, national development priorities, and cognisant of continental and international development
imperatives.
WSU Mission
In pursuit of its vision as a developmental university, WSU will:
• Provide an educationally vibrant and enabling environment that is conducive to the
advancement of quality academic, moral, cultural and technological learner-centered education
for holistic intellectual empowerment, growth and effective use of information;
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• Provide and maintain the highest possible standards in innovative learning and teaching,
research (community-based and applied research) and community partnerships in cooperation
with development agencies, the public and private sectors;
• Provide affordable, appropriate, career-focused and professional programmes that address rural
development and urban renewal with primary emphasis on science, technology and
development studies;
• Create a new generation of highly-skilled graduates capable of understanding and addressing
complex societal challenges, with critical scholarly and entrepreneurial attributes grounded on
morally sound work ethics and responsible leadership.
FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AS AN ESSENTIAL
PART OF THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE PROGRAMME AND QUALIFICATION
MIX
PROJECTION INTO THE FUTURE 2008 – 2013, 5 YEAR PLAN
The following extract is drawn from the WSU Institutional Operational Plan (IOP) which
serves as a basis and point of departure for the strategic planning of the Centre for Rural
Development:
“WSU will develop a new Programme and Qualification Mix (PQM). The existing
PQM has been inherited from the heritage institutions. The vision of a developmental
university cannot and will not be achieved unless the university reviews its PQM. As
a response to the vision and mission of the university, a new PQM of WSU will be
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developed in 2008. Once the PQM is approved, the curriculum content of
programmes will be restructured to ensure that it addresses the desired outcomes as
defined by the mission of the university. The PQM will be supported by research that
is focused on the identified niche areas of Rural and Urban Development.
The restructuring of the PQM will involve discontinuing certain programmes and
narrowing the offerings in certain areas, and introducing new ones that the new PQM
to be introduced by 2009 might require”
(Institutional Operating Plan, 5 December
2007).
Mandate for Centre for Rural Development for New Faculty from WSU Senate As
Highest Academic Body and from Council as Governing Body
Resolutions of Senate and Council
Institutional Location and Role of Centre for Rural Development.
The following resolutions were passed unanimously at the 2nd
2008 meeting of Senate and Council.
Centre for Rural Development as springboard for New Faculty of Agriculture and Development
Studies.
• Drawing from the experience and wide network the Centre for Rural Development has
gained in the past 3 years since its establishment in March 2006, the CRD will in the period
2008-2013 serve as a springboard for the innovative creation of a new Faculty of Agriculture
and Development Studies;
• After the establishment of the new faculty the Centre for Rural Development will remain a
University wide distinct and unique unit.
• CRD will spear head innovative rural development research and offer post graduate and
capacity building programmes;
• Urban Renewal, a new South African paradigm that still needs to be interrogated, explored
through research and shaped into innovative academic programmes will (for a while at least)
be a unit within the CRD;
• This process will require its own expertise as well as networking with relevant policy
makers.
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Major Niche Areas for CRD Academic Qualifications (Research, Post Graduate,
Electives, Foundation Courses and Capacity Building Courses)
Curriculum at CRD will be developed in collaboration with New Faculty of Agriculture
and Development Studies with who, there will be cross fertilization and informed by the
following academic areas:
• Poverty Studies;
• Integrated Sustainable Rural Development
• Rural Resource Management (includes Research and Conversion of Natural Resources into
Assets);
• International Rural Development Models;
• Rural Enterprise Development;
• Knowledge Management: Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Heritage Studies;
• Water and Health Related Research;
• Rural Research and Policy Studies;
• Rural Women Research and Development Studies;
• Nutrition and Nutrition Policy Studies.
External Capacity Building
• Capacity building in Integrated Sustainable Rural Development (ISRD) (Co ops and CDW’s
training and Mentoring);
• Public Dialogue on Rural Development – Annual Rural Development Conference.
THE ORIGINS OF ESTABLISHMENT OF FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE AND
DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AT WSU
The idea of establishing a Faculty of Agriculture at WSU has been under discussion for a long time and
such considerations can be traced back to the pre merger phase when various models of collaboration
between the former University of Transkei and Tsolo Agricultural College were explored. What
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underpinned these measures were transformatory policy imperatives of the National Plan for Higher
Education which as indicated in the Executive Summary required Higher Education Institutions to
recreate and reposition themselves in order to respond to national regional development needs of the new
South African dispensation.
A decisive step was taken during the month of November 2001/02, when 28 stakeholder representatives
(academic and non academic staff and students) of the University of Transkei gathered at the BASS
studio and produced a document that became known as “The New Model”. Led by Executive
representatives (DVC and Registrar Academic) they worked day and night deliberating and debating the
idea of a “new” academic model that would respond to the societal demands of the new South Africa. Of
the various possible models that were examined, stakeholders finally reached consensus that the
University should take its rural underdeveloped environmental context into account and focus on Rural
Development as a major niche area to be reflected in Teaching, Research and Community Development
Service. The “New Model” was then called “The University of Transkei for Science Technology and
Rural Development”.
The burning question that arose was how the University could transform itself to a Centre of Excellence
in Rural Development without Rural Development and Agricultural Studies. When this question was put
to top officials in the National Department of Agriculture, the former Director General Ms. Bongiwe
Njobe drew the attention of the stakeholder representation to Department of Agriculture study by van
Niekerk. In this study which focused on the future of Agricultural Institutions in the new South African
dispensation, van Niekerk draws from Australian and German models of Agricultural H.E. Institutions
and proposes that Colleges of Agriculture in South Africa should be upgraded and then attached to
Universities in order to capacitate them to produce the urgently required agricultural knowledge and
technical skills at different levels.
Since then Tsolo collaborated with the university implementing a short or long term strategy.
The short term strategy involved:
• Collaboration with Faculty of Science on the foundation course to give Tsolo students access to IT
and Science Laboratory Facilities at the University.
• Collaboration on the BSc in Pest Management.
•
The long term strategy involved:
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• working towards implementation of the Van Niekerk proposal to see Tsolo upgraded and attached
to the University. Right from the beginning those collaborative activities received support from
the Provincial Department of Agriculture.
Walter Sisulu has thus deemed it fit to add Agricultural and Development Studies to enable this
Comprehensive University to become a major resource Centre for Regional/ National Development
The proposed Institutional model foresees:
• WSU with four faculties viz: Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering &
Technology, Faculty of Business, Management, Sciences and Law, Faculty Education
• Establishment of the Centre for Rural Development whose mission is to be a Centre of
Excellence that serves as an engine to drive transformation of teaching, research and community
service, enabling WSU as a developmental university to become a major resource for Africa’s
development.
• Strong linkages to the external communities to enable Community Based Participatory Research
and Service Learning
• Long term vision of seeing Tsolo Agricultural College upgraded and attached to WSU as part of
the new Faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies.
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WSU: a developmental university...
technological · scientific · innovative · responsive

INTEGRATION WITH TSOLO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE AND OTHER
INSTITUTIONS
The success of a Faculty of Agriculture at WSU will depend not only on working effectively with other
faculties within the institution but also with outside institutions.
Tsolo Agricultural College is located relatively close to the Mthatha campus of WSU. The campus has
teaching facilities, an area of land, agricultural facilities, staff and is a provider of agricultural education.
Working in association with Tsolo would provide several advantages including the opportunity to share
staff. Students who perform well in the courses offered by Tsolo could be given the opportunity to
undertake degree level studies if the courses are appropriately aligned.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO TSOLO INSTITUTE FOR AGRICULTURE AND
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
TSOLO COLLEGE UNDER THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA AND TRANSKEI HOMELAND 1910-
1914
Tsolo Agricultural College was established in 1904, under the auspices of the United Transkei Territorial
General Council (TTGC), to harness and exploit the enormous agriculture and natural resources of the
region. Its objective was to serve as a training centre for farmers and farm labourers until it was
concerted to a School of Agriculture in 1913. As a school of agriculture its aim was to train young
farmers in all aspects of crop and livestock farming and to prepare them for employment by the
Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
Between 1910 and 1951 there were three Agricultural schools in Transkei:- Tsolo, Teko and Flagstaff.
Teko and Flagstaff were subsequently closed and agricultural training in Transkei region was centralized
at Tsolo Agricultural College.
Between 1913 and 1974 Tsolo College had an average annual intake of 31 learners and an average annual
output of 13 learners. The minimum entry requirement for admission was standard VI. In 1955 this
requirement was raised to standard 8 from 1986, aggregate symbol E was made an additional
requirement.
The duration of a 2 year was raised to 2.5 years. In the same year the stock Inspector’s course was
introduced with two study programmes, namely Agricultural Extension and Stock Inspection. The
teaching and training methods used during this period were oriented towards skills development. Most of
the farm work was done by learners with little attention given to theoretical aspects of the Agricultural
Training.
From 1975 training at Tsolo College was reviewed so that training programmes consisted of equal
proportions of practical and theory. In 1980 the Development Officers’ course was introduced. This lead
to three directions of study, namely, Extension, Stock Inspection and Development Course (s).
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Between 1975 and 1980 the College adapted new objectives and focus in its training programmes. These
stated as:-
(i) To train suitable candidates for employment as Agricultural Field officers for the Department of
Agriculture and Forestry, as well as other Agricultural Development Organisations.
(ii) To provide In-service training to officers in the Department of Agriculture and other
organizations.
(iii) To conduct short courses for farmers.
Tsolo College was granted a long term loan by the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) for
purposes of upgrading the institutions infrastructure. The structures that were upgraded included the
administration building, lecture halls, library, laboratories, hostels, kitchen, dining halls, farm building,
livestock handling facilities, irrigation facilities workshop. The construction of upgraded facilities began
in 1989 and was completed in 1992.
TSOLO IN THE NEW SOUTH AFRICAN DISPENSATION 1994-2009
Until 1994 the college was solely administered by the now defunct Transkei Department of Agriculture of
the Transkei Homeland. After the1994 general elections and the establishment of the Eastern Cape
Province, the college came under the administration of the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture and
Land Affairs, through its Directorate of Agriculture Education & Training (AET).
In 1988 Tsolo Agricultural College had become an affiliate college of the University of Transkei
(UNITRA). This affiliation was aimed at improving and monitoring the academic programmes and
standards of Tsolo College. Since the affiliation College Diplomas are issued by WSU at present the
college is offering three diploma programmes. The duration of the diploma programmes was increased
from 2.5 to 3 years in 1988. In the year 2001, a Unitra/Tsolo College partnership was signed to cater for
joint use of infrastructural and human resource facilities with a view of strengthening on rural
development. Along with this training opportunities have been opened to agriculture Diploma graduates
to further their studies at higher education institutions.
Location
Tsolo College is situated approximately 43km from Umtata to the South, 157km from Kokstad to the
North and 59km from Maclear to the west. According to the new demarcation, Tsolo College is situated
at Mhlontlo Municipality under the District Municipality of O.R. Tambo in the Eastern Cape.
Existing Infrastructure
The college farm is 900ha. It comprises 755ha of grazing land which is paddocked for grazing purposes
and for arable farming on a dry land basis, 24 hectares are under gravitational irrigation from the
Xhokonxa and Bedlana streams, the latter running through the college farm. 15ha. are utilized for
vegetable production. A wide range of livestock is kept for breeding and training purposes.
Its mandate has been changed since 2002 its declared and designated as Agricultural Development
Institution which provides farmer development, rural development and adaptive research programmes.
Transformation from Tsolo College to the Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development
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New Mandate and New Vision
Since 2002 the mandate of Tsolo College was changed by the Eastern Cape Provincial
Government from a conventional training institute producing extension officers with Diplomas
and Certificates to an Agricultural Development Institute that acts primarily as a resource
centre to facilitate and enhance agricultural capacity building of farmers and rural
communities.
The pronouncement by the MEC Max Mamase in 2001 to declare Tsolo a centre of excellence,
transformed this institution from an academic institution to an institute providing the following:
• agriculture business tailor made farmer training,
• in-service training for farmers and rural community organisations,
• rural development and applied research,
• Internship and mentoring programs to learners and graduates from higher education institutions.
The name was changed from Tsolo Agriculture College to Tsolo Agriculture and Rural
development Institute.
The vision of the Institute is to provide tailor made agricultural business skills and programs in rural
development, technology development and natural resource management to the farming community.
Tsolo Institute sees itself as a dynamic Training and Capacity building institution which:-
• Promotes and instill Entrepreneurial skills in farming communities.
• Develops and adapts effective agricultural research suitable for the area.
• Creates awareness and encourage agri-business elements in the farming communities.
Ongoing Programmes
Farmer Development
• The Institute currently offers different skills training programmes ranging from crops, livestock,
machinery implements and home economics.
Target Groups
• Farmers who are either organized or interested groups in the O.R. Tambo and Alfred Nzo District
Municipalities. Special attention is given to empowerment capacity building of women and
youth.
Admission Requirements
In order to be admitted to skills development programmes, the following requirement should be fullfilled:
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• Applicants must be members of ongoing agricultural projects such as agricultural cooperatives.
• Projects must be registered with government departments and non governmental organizations.
• Applications /project members must be visited (prior to training) in order to confirm their
existence and level of development.
• Interest groups are also considered for training.
• Other requirements set out by technical training will be taken into consideration for registration of
participants:-
I. Must be admitted and informed accordingly after the pre-training visit and
II. Must complete registration form (appendix II) and submit it to the college Administration on
registration day.
Training Methods
• Lectures linked to demonstrations at the institute farm.
• Hands on training/ practicals constitute the largest proportion during the period of attendance of
farmer skills development/training courses.
• Experiential learning on successful farms.
• Excursions or visits to other farms with technological advanced equipment for exposure.
• Off-site training on pilot projects.
• Advanced courses are mainly administered at the institute.
Courses and Duration
Courses of five (5) days offered by both technical and Home economics sections:-
• Broiler production
• Egg production
• Pig production
• Vegetable production
• Field crop production
• Calibration and maintenance of equipment and machinery.
• Food preservation
• Basic baking
Courses of ten (10) days training period offered by the Home Economics Section of College:-
• Basic sewing (soft furnishings)
• Garment construction
• Advanced sewing
• Quantity catering
Farmer Skills Development Courses Of One (1) Or Two (2) Days Are Offered By The
Agricultural Economics Unit Of The College:-
• Economic aspects of agricultural business
• Entrepreneurship
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The above mentioned courses complement both technical and Home Economics courses, and are
therefore offered to all participants who have attended either a technical or Home Economics courses.
Applied research
• Research is needs driven, commodity based and adapted to suite the needs of the farming
community to the region.
• Focal areas Food security, extension methodology ,trade and marketing of agricultural and
home industry products.
• Research and demonstration trials are established through networking with existing and
interested institutions.
Rural Development
• Models are crafted by the Tsolo institutes’ technical staff based on interests of farming
communities and resources available. Success stories are tested for bench marking and adapted
within the institute environment.
• Programs are piloted through local communities to stimulate agricultural activities. Development
models are also adjusted based on community interests. Farming communities are linked with other
service providers.
INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL POLICY IMPERATIVES FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF FACULTY OF
AGRICULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
The establishment of this faculty is a response to international, national and provincial policy imperatives
viz:
• The National Plan for Higher Education Framework of 2001 required that Higher Education
Institutions revisit their missions and adjust them to respond to regional/national development
needs.
• The compelling mission vision and mission of WSU as a Developmental University positions this
institution therefore as a major Resource Centre for Regional Development. Comprehensive
Universities world wide especially in Germany where this model was widely piloted in the 1970’s
have proven themselves best suited for Regional Development as they have the capacity to tackle
Development problems from various angles. Agricultural Studies symbolizes a new angle towards
this end.
20

• Since the currently formulated Eastern Cape Draft Rural Development Strategy highlights
Agrarian Transformation as a top priority directed at the betterment of rural livelihoods and
eradication of poverty. WSU will be better equipped to conduct relevant scientific enquiry and
promote Agricultural and Rural Development Innovation and produce the required trained human
resource.
• These efforts should contribute to implementation of the current South African government policy
to foreground Rural Development as one of the top 5 priority development areas. With this faculty
WSU responds to the NEPAD vision of an “African Agriculture” which seeks to “maximize the
contribution of Africa’s largest economic sector to achieving a self reliant and productive Africa
as Agriculture has a greater potential to deliver broadly based economic advancement on a mass
scale involving large population on the ground as compared to other economic sectors such as
petroleum, minerals and tourism.” NEPAD’s goal for an Agricultural led development is
elimination of Hunger and reduction of poverty and food insecurity. This should lead to expansion
of exports and putting the Continent on a higher economic rowth path within an overall strategy of
sustainable development.
• An intervention for production of appropriate agricultural research expertise, technical skills and
Knowledge is also a conscious response to the Millennium Development Goals particularly the
goal of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger and while ensuring environmental sustainability.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL
DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
The Key Structural Issues to be taken into account during implementation are as follows:
• Programme and qualification mix
• Schools, departments and units
• Research niche areas
• Agricultural land and facilities
• Community engagement strategy
The Programme and Qualification Mix
The programme and qualification mix of the faculty and the various courses of study on which it is based
will be designed to address rural development and agrarian transformation as the principal mode of
eradicating poverty. The PQM will therefore expand to incorporate certificates, diplomas and degree
programmes leading to qualifications in agriculture and rural development in the region and markets
served by the WSU nationally.
Human Resource Goals of the Programme and Qualification Mix
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• Preparing men and women for careers and contributions in agricultural production, processing,
marketing, policy, management, teaching, research, development and service.
• Bring expertise to bear on rural and urban development through teaching, research, extension and
outreach.
• Creating an understanding of a holistic, integrated systems approach to agriculture and related
resource management.
• Complementing and supplementing learning opportunities of students and staff in universities,
colleges and other training institutions.
• Addressing issues of job creation equity and poverty reduction through activities, which affirm the
importance of small-scale farmers and other disadvantaged groups, while recognizing gender.
• Graduating students who have an appropriate balance between theory and practical application of
knowledge and entrepreneurial skills.
• Developing a training process which will produce moral and ethical graduates who possess a
willingness to respond to the needs and welfare of ordinary people.
Schools, Departments and Units
The programme and qualification mix must be determined by the needs of the farming communities and
which in turn will determine the structure of the faculty - its schools, departments and units. Five schools
are therefore envisaged to provide a holistic approach to learning for the agricultural development.
Studies will include sustainable farming of crops and animals, the business and economics that are based
on land produce, engineering for farming, land health and sustainable environments. Development
studies will provide a critical philosophical and social scientific basis.
The faculty will consist of the following schools:
• Animal production and Veterinary Sciences (animals)
• Crop production and Soil Science (plant)
• Agrarian economics and Agribusiness (poverty eradication)
• Environmental and land studies (land)
• Agricultural Engineering (Appropriate technology)
• Development studies (Economic and Human Development)
Animal production and Veterinary Sciences (animals)
One of the farming traditions of the rural communities of the eastern part of the Eastern Cape is raising
herds of cattle, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, pigs and poultry. Indeed there are more animals per capita
in the Eastern Cape than any province of South Africa. However the animal farming approaches of the
rural communities in the region have not produced sustainable economies. In contrast the approaches of
the commercial farming communities make a significant and sustainable contribution. Animal production
can be a major contributor to the gross provincial production. There is therefore a need for training
programmes in animal production aimed at improving the approaches of rural communities so as to
produce sustainable animal production economies for these communities.
In tandem with animal production is animal health care and veterinary sciences
Crop production and Soil Science (plants)
22

Another important farming tradition of most rural communities is the growing of staple crops such as
maize, beans, sorghum and pumpkins for household consumption. However in the last few decades this
practice has largely been abandoned as the migrant labour system robbed rural areas of male labour.
Closely related to this were forced removals and other destructive economic practices. The result is that
vast amounts of arable land now lie fallow while communities depend on commercial farmers and
retailers for sustenance. The land tenure systems of the past have located communities in sparsely
separated but highly concentrated settlements resulting in large concentrations of community animals
foraging small patches of land and this has led to overgrazing based soil deterioration in most areas. The
land is badly eroded and deeply carved by dangerous dongas and in most parts the stream waters have
dried up. The need for qualifications in crop production and soil sciences is therefore quite evident.
Agrarian Economics and Agribusiness (poverty eradication)
It has been argued that the relatively lower circulation of currency and wealth in rural areas compared to
the urban areas is largely due to depressed economic activity in rural areas and this has highlighted the
need for sustainable economic activities in the rural areas. A potential contributor to rural economic
activity is the establishment of viable agricultural production in rural communities because it has the
potential not only to produce rural based trading in agricultural produce but also to vie for a significant
portion of the urban circulation of currency and wealth through the supply of agricultural produce to
urban areas. Agrarian economies have the potential to spur economic activities in other sectors such as
transport, packaging, food processing, sanitation and road infrastructure and in this way generate
sustainable economies in the rural areas. The need for education and training programmes in agrarian
economics and rural agribusiness cannot be overemphasized.
Environmental and Land studies
Agriculture and land are tied together. Without arable land there can be very little agriculture and yet
agriculture can be severely stifled by the condition and accessibility of the land. In post-colonial Africa
the jury is still out on land tenure issues. In South Africa the programme of land
Re-distribution is running into serious difficulties as it requires bold and radical policy shifts in land
reform and also due to the poor usage of re-distributed lands. This in turn is a result of land disposition
that has robbed newer generations of farming While showing efficient usage, the vast majority of
current large land owners mostly white farmers have very poor track record of entitlement while those
with arguably better entitlement have very low efficiency in usage. Even where land is optimally used, its
condition leaves much to be desired so that its continued viability going into the future may be subject to
question. The post-colonial African land is infested with alien plant species that put a strain on its
condition. Overgrazing in densely populated rural settlement has resulted in much erosion of the soil.
Industries have polluted vast amounts of lands rendering them useless for agriculture for many years to
come. These are real issues posing problems for poverty eradication through the revival of rural
agricultural economics and they need to be addressed with appropriate academic programmes and
research.
Agricultural Engineering (Appropriate technology)
Working and tilling the land has always been an implement based enterprise; the commercial farming
communities rely heavily on heavy and expensive equipment. Such equipment is largely designed for the
western farmer and in most cases, except for the most common agricultural implements, may be quite
inappropriate for the rural farmer. This inappropriateness may derive from cost impediments, land type,
crop type, animal type, maintenance and life cycle. The purpose of the school of agricultural engineering
23

is to provide studies in technological support for the type of farmer, land, environment, animal, crop,
economy, business and livelihood that will be generated by the targeted agricultural revival. This includes
appropriate technologies for agricultural implements, for land and environmental management, raising
and caring for animals and crops, and for processing and trading in agricultural products.
SCHOOL OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
Developmental Studies as WSU will advance teaching, research and community development
activities that focus on the notion of “Sustainable Development” which promotes growth and
does not undermine the long term productivity of natural resources and the environment.
Integrated Studies from history, theories, causes of underdevelopment to local, national and
global strategies for overcoming their problems coupled with service learning and mentoring
of students rural/peri urban community settings will produce a new kind of graduate who can
understand and respond to problems of underdevelopment and poverty.
The WSU Development Studies programmes will take into account that the development
concept has evolved into a broader, more comprehensive integrated systems approach.
(Centre for Development Research, University of Bonn).
It will encompass issues such as
• Policy making and the role of governments, the private sector and civil society in
development.
• Poverty eradication strategies human rights and equity
• Political institutional and legal frameworks
• Natural Resource Management
• Gender, Women’s Research and Development
• Alternative Models of Development
• Capacity Building of Knowledge Management especially of Indigenous Knowledge
Systems
• Entrepreneurship Development etc
WSU Development Studies will draw from international best practice, and forge linkages with
Development institutions worldwide especially those that have contributed to poverty
eradication such as Agricultural and Developmental Research Institutes in the Punjab, India.
The Centre for Development Research at the University of Bonn, Germany, (ZEF) reminds us
that “The Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002) adopted concrete
steps towards adopted concrete steps towards improving people’s lives while conserving
natural resources in a world that is growing in population, with ever increasing demands for
food, water, shelter, education, sanitation, energy, health services and economic security”.
Recognizing that this international political consensus was declared on our home soil WSU
development studies will seek strategies of how to respond to what ZEF calls the “three
important aspects of the development challenge viz:-
• Betterment of living conditions for the poor
• Trade offs between fighting poverty and the conservation of natural resources
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• Policies must be results oriented and that predetermined objectives must be achieved
within given time frames
Aim of Development Research
Research will have a strong community based element and produce Masters and Doctoral
programmes. The aim will be:-
• To produce and disseminate sound development research that will help reduce poverty
and enhance sustainable development
• To improve development policymaking and support collaborative research with scholars
in developing nations
• To use doctoral studies to build greater capacity for improved policy analysis and policy
making in developed and developing countries
• To disseminate research beyond the research community through public policy dialogue
and advice workshops, seminars, and a variety of other strategies.
The Structure of the Faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies
The Programme and Qualification Mix (PQM)
The programme and qualification mix of the faculty of Agriculture and Rural Development and
the various courses of study from which it is based will be designed to address rural
development and agrarian transformation as the principal mode of development and
eradicating poverty in the region and markets served by the WSU nationally. PQM will
therefore expand to incorporate certificates, diplomas and degree programmes leading to
qualifications in agriculture and rural development.
Tripartite Alliance as Driver
In pursuing the above agenda, the WSU has gone out far and wide to find like minded
partners in government, higher education, business, politics and communities. A key partner
in this is the Eastern Cape Provincial Government Department of Agriculture. A tripartite
alliance involving the Walter Sisulu University (WSU), the Tsolo Agricultural and Rural
Development Institute (TARDI), and the Eastern Cape Provincial Government Department of
Agriculture has emerged as a key driver of such an agenda.
KEY STRUCTURAL ISSUES FOR NEW FACULTY
• Programme and qualification mix
• Schools, departments and units
25

• Research niche areas
• Agricultural land and facilities
• Community engagement strategy
Launching Programme Qualification Mix
The Faculty Will Offer The Following Qualifications
1. 120 credit advanced certificate (preriquisite = matric)
2. 120 credit advanced diploma (preriquisite = 1)
3. 120 credit higher certificate (prerequisite = 2)
4. 360 credit diploma (preriquisite = matric)
5. 360 credit bachelors degree (preriquisite = matric)
NQF 5
NQF 6
NQF 7
Launching Programme Qualification Mix
Higher
Certificate
120
credits
Advanced
Certificate
120
credits
Diploma
360
credits
Advanced
Diploma
120
credits
Bachelor
Of
Agriculture
360
credits
Rationale Choice for Qualifications
120 Credit Advanced Certificate
• Graduates will provide farming communities with guidance. They will also provide workforce for
NGOs, farming consortia, government agencies, farm management and NGOs
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• Theory, practical, farm experiential training, all desired farming inputs/outputs, needs driven
curriculum will be determined from rigorous research
• Advisory boards will provide QA and benchmark
120 Credit Advanced Diploma
• Graduates will provide farming communities with guidance, support and service. They
will also provide workforce for NGOs, farming consortia, government agencies, farm
management and NGOs
• Theory, practical, farm experiential training, all desired farming inputs/outputs, needs
driven curriculum will be determined from rigorous research
• 120 Credit Higher Certificate
• Graduates will provide farming communities with expert guidance, support and service.
They will also provide workforce for NGOs, farming consortia, government agencies,
farm management and NGOs
360 Credit Diploma
• Diplomates will provide farming communities with guidance and support.
• They will also provide workforce for NGOs, farming consortia, government
agencies and
NGOs
• Theory, practical, farm experiential training, all desired farming inputs/outputs,
needs driven curriculum will be determined from rigorous research
360 Credit Bachelors Degree
• Graduates will provide farming communities with expert advice and service. They will
also provide workforce for NGOs, farming consortia, government agencies and NGOs
Research Niche Areas
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The research project mix will be determined by the needs of the environment and farming
communities and will therefore to a large extent be based on farming community
engagement. Thus research will focus mainly on:
• Animal production
• Animal health
• Crop production
• Value added products and markets
• Soil analysis and Environmental assessments
• Issues of Agrarian Transformation
Agricultural Land
The Faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies will need to have access to land for all
its activities in:
• Animal production
• Animal health
• Crop production
• Value added products and markets
• Soil analysis and Environmental assessments
Community Engagement
There are two possible approaches for community engagements. The second approach is
favoured.
The first approach involves the development of tuition, service and research models for
farming communities within the domains of the faculty. Farming communities are engaged by
diffusion of the benefits from these faculty domains to the farming communities.
The second involves the development of tuition, service and research models for farming
communities within the domains of the farming communities. Farmers are engaged by
development and application of benefits to directly to the farming communities.
Rationalisation of the structure
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The structure is proposed with the five key elements of animal production and health (bullets
1 and 2), crop production and health (bullets 3 and 5) and the wealth generation or poverty
eradication element (bullet 4) in order to provide a rounded approach that will have
immediate impact on the communities to be served.
• Animal Production
• Veterinary Sciences
• Crop Production
• Agrarian Economics
• Soil, plant and Environmental Sciences
INTEGRATION WITH TSOLO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS
The success of a Faculty of Agriculture at WSU will depend not only on working effectively with other
faculties within the institution but also with outside institutions.
Tsolo Agricultural College is located relatively close to the Umthatha campus of WSU. The campus has
teaching facilities, an area of land, agricultural facilities, staff and is a provider of agricultural education.
Working in association with Tsolo would provide several advantages including. The opportunity to share
staff. Students who perform well in the courses offered by Tsolo could be given the opportunity to
undertake degree level studies if the courses are appropriately aligned.
Special Justification for Establishing a School of Animal Production and
Veterinary Sciences at WSU
The main reasons why WSU needs a school of Veterinary Science:
There is one single school of Veterinary Medicine in South Africa catering for over 4.8 Mio people
• Limited intake of only 200 students a year
• Stiff competition for applicants. Chances of students from a disadvantaged environment being taken
on are very slim
• Status quo shows that history of this school as it is perceived by other members of the community
precludes some very potential veterinarians
• The general culture of the school has not changed much. In fact many of black potential veterinarians
either drop out early in the course or are unable to finish or if they finish they take much longer than
expected
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• Course content does not address needs in a rural setting ( Emphasis on small animals
• Situated in a very metropolitan environment
• 80 % of current graduates emigrate anyway ;not willing to work in a rural setup
Competitive advantage of school at WSU placing
• The school is located in the Province with the largest livestock numbers in the country
• There are already existing facilities which can easily be converted to teach Vet Medicine Tsolo,
Mpofu & WSU
• The rural setup provides a niche training environment
• Need for Veterinary Services / Animal health Services in the Province
• Mthatha is a priority developmental node in the country
• WSU has already been mooted as a potential partner with TiHo (One of the oldest Veterinary
schools in the World with experience in starting off new Vet Schools) within the twinning
agreement with Lower Saxony
• A new Veterinary school in SA has to be situated a distance away from the current one in Pretoria.
The best option is Eastern Cape.
PROCESSES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FACULTY
There are various methods that can be used to develop a new degree course and faculty. Often universities
develop courses using the methods that have been used for decades and produce a degree that is similar to
those at other institutions. Alternatively the course can be developed from the ground up where the
outcomes desired are first defined followed by design of the degree programs and the selection of staff
appropriate to teach the course and meet the outcomes. Such a process is outlined here. Some indicative
steps that can be used are outlined.
The main steps to develop the new faculty and degree programmes will include:
1. To Define the overall goal of the faculty
2. To Determine the areas that will be covered (and with that the way in which graduates might be
expected to work)
3. To Determine the core and associated competencies that graduates will gain during the degree
4. To Design the degree
5. To Appoint staff and introduce ongoing training for staff
6. To Market the degree
7. To Establish monitoring systems
Establishment of an advisory committee
In order to effectively engage with community and industry it is useful at the start of the process of
developing a degree to establish an advisory committee.
Features and Responsibility of the Committee
• The committee will be composed of people from the Agricultural and Rural Development
Industry (both public and private sectors) who are involved with the industry as well as staff from
the university.
30

• The committee will assist the university to determine the scope of the degree and the
competencies required of the students on graduation (Steps 1 to 3 above) to ensure the degree is
relevant.
• To assist by critiquing the design of the degree.
• To assist with marketing the degree (Step 6) to potential students and sponsors and monitoring the
performance of the degree (Step 7) to ensure it is meeting the needs and operating efficiently.
• The committee’s role is advisory and it is the university staff that would be responsible for the
design of the degree and determining the resource requirements.
The committee has the role of ensuring the degree is relevant to industry and the community and needs to
have status in the community and the university. Membership of the committee will involve
representatives from:
• Agricultural businesses.
• Supermarkets or other important retailers of food.
• National, provincial and local government.
• Farmers both men and women and their Organizations.
• Rural or agricultural journalist.
• University senior management.
• University lecturing staff.
• A senior member of academic staff from another institution.
• Youth in Agriculture.
The committee will need to meet on several occasions and will require secretarial support
from the university.
Focus Of the Course and Envisaged Competencies
In developing the course the focus needs to be on the core competencies of students and the skills they
will have on graduation as would be achieved through Step 3. Without pre-empting the findings of an
advisory committee, areas and competencies that graduates might be expected to have include:
• An understanding of the nature and processes of rural development and how they relate to
agricultural production
• An understanding of the nature and operation of the agricultural sector at local, national and
international levels
• A practical and theoretical understanding of the methods for crop and livestock production in
various contexts (including subsistence and commercial)
• Financial management
• Nature and analysis of agricultural supply chains
• Environmental management in relation to agriculture
• Agricultural public policy
• Community development principles and processes
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The courses will need a strong practical element and be linked at all stages with the community. Empathy
for farmers will have to be developed by the graduates to ensure they can communicate effectively with
farmers and assist farmers in negotiations with other parts of the agricultural sector.
Other competencies required will depend on the component of agriculture into which they may move and
may be developed through subjects taught in other faculties of the university.
Curriculum
The development of the curriculum will aim at producing the competencies determined by the advisory
committee. In addition the nature of the pedagogy is important. In the area of agriculture experiential
learning adds an important dimension to students understanding of the theoretical concepts is more likely
to produce life long learners than a didactic pedagogy. Graduates will need an integrated set of skills and
so experiential learning (including service learning) will be an effective process to enable students to
integrate the various areas.
Infrastructure
The teaching of agriculture can be approached in divergent ways. In one the university provides a
working farm in order for students to gain practical experience and staff to carry out experimental
research. An alternative approach is to work closely with farmers and make use of their production
systems for students to gain experience and assist farmers to improve practices and for staff to carry out
real world research in association with those farmers. The second approach provides several advantages
in that the knowledge and experience gained by the students is highly relevant, the students and
institution are engaged with the community and able to assist as well as benefit. In addition, the approach
means that the costs associated with the development and management of the faculty are greatly reduced.
In some cases it is important that students are exposed to agricultural activities in controlled situations
and in these cases it will be appropriate to make use of the facilities already present at Tsolo Agricultural
College.
Human Resources Requirements
The staff requirements of the faculty would be determined by the nature of the course developed. In
specialist areas if staff are not available within the university it might be possible to work closely with
government departments and Tsolo Agricultural College to share appropriate expertise.
It would be important with the development of the faculty to ensure that it is integrated with faculties
within the university. In particular staff involved with teaching business, geography, environmental
studies, science and social science could have a role in teaching components of an agricultural degree.
Working in collaboration would greatly increase the depth and diversity of the areas available for study.
In addition, the ORTDM is developing learning centres in various rural areas and these centres such as
Emfundisweni would provide ideal learning situations for students and an opportunity for students to
contribute to the communities if the centres are effectively integrated into the course.
NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
32

Over the past 4 years since its inception in February 2004 Centre for Rural Development has established
extensive linkages to promote the cause of Rural Development. A striking insight gained in this
connection is how much goodwill exists towards the realization of the vision of WSU, as a
Developmental University that focuses on the two niche areas viz. Rural Development and Urban
Renewal.
The following MOU’s and Partnerships will certainly contribute to the implementation of the
establishment of a Faculty of Agriculture and Development Studies:
Government/ National Partnerships
• MOU between WSU, O.R. Tambo District Municipality and City of Cape Town.
• MOU between WSU and Independent Development Trust implements 5 Objectives
• MOU between WSU and Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs
to facilitate Capacity Building and Entrepreneurship Development.
• MOU between WSU/CRD and Mhlontlo Local Municipality to implement a pilot of
Integrated Sustainable Rural Development.
• Partnership with Eastern Cape Appropriate Technology Unit (ECATU).
• MOU with Metropolitan and Partnership with Old Mutual for support of Centre for Rural
Development Programmes.
Non- Governmental Organizations
• SANPAD
• Women’s Development Foundation (WDF) for empowerment and training of women’s
Development Organizations.
• Women in Agriculture / Youth in Agriculture
• Isbaya Rural Village Renewal Programme/ Agricultural Research Council (ARC).
• National Rural Development Programme (NARDEP) focus on Community Mobilization and
Training of Community Development Practitioners.
• Isinamva Community Development Organization, Mt Frere, Focus on Conscientisation
Pedagogy of the Oppressed and Community Mobilization.
• Several Cooperatives in particular the Pilot Soap Making Cooperatives in Mhlakulo/
Ngangelizwe expected to extend to include Essential Oils.
• Collaboration with National/ Provincial Farmers Associations.
• Collaboration with Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Social Development, ECSECC,
ASGISA.
• TRALSO
International Partnerships
33

• CIDA (Niagara College, Canada) the INREACH collaboration Programme is a Capacity building
initiative focusing on progress of rural Cooperatives and Training of Community Development
Workers.
• German Development Service has provided qualified Personnel AID (Experts) to work at CRD
over a 2 year contract.
• University of Western Sydney Australia – VC and Top Management including CRD director
visited Australia in February 2009 and Western Sydney which specialized in Agriculture Rural
Development and Environmental Studies, pledged support for establishment of Faculty of
Agriculture, Dr Gavin Ramsey formulated the first guiding document on Processes to be
followed.
• University of Newcastle, partnership with the faculty of Health Sciences on Community based
Medicine and Problem based Methodologies.
• NB WSU has more partnerships that will be relevant to the establishment of Agriculture and
Development Studies. These are located in the Centre for Community partnerships.
Partners for best practice in establishment of Faculty of Agriculture and Rural
Development.
International and Research Institutes
• Punjab Agricultural University, India.
• Africa University, Zimbabwe.
• University of Newcastle (Australia).
• University of Western Sydney (Australia).
• Michigan State (Land Grant) University.
• Ghana University for Development Studies, Tamale.
• Hanover School of Veterinary Medicine, Germany
• Deula Institute
Major Requirements and Facilities Needed for Faculty
• Lecture Halls.
• Laboratory Facilities.
• Computer Laboratories.
• Library Facilities.
• Office Equipment.
• Programme – based Equipment.
• Land for Demonstration Farms.
• Animal Stables and Graining Land.
• Administration and Technical Staff.
• Teaching/ Research Staff.
• Sports Facilities.
34

• Transport cars and Facilities.
• Residential Space for Staff and Students.
• Aquaculture Facilities
STEPS TO BE TAKEN – April 2009 – January 2010
Steps Time Frame
1. Feasibility study / needs analysis to be
conducted early before programming.
2. Workshops with all stakeholders HE,
Local Government, Private Sector,
Asgisa, IDT, Provincial Government,
Farmers Association, Agricultural
Research Council (ARC) 2 workshops
will be conducted; both meant to
enhance the capacity of WSU to come
up with dynamic relevant programmes.
The first workshop will expose WSU
staff to best practice, on PQM developed
and transformed Resource persons will
be drawn from experience partners such
as Western Sydney, Africa University
and USA Land Grant University, and
Hanover School of Veterinary Medicine.
3. Establishment of Advisory Committee.
4. Feasibility Studies and Community
based Research.
5. Determining Focus, Skills and
Competencies.
6. Curriculum Development.
June 2009
June 2009 – September 2009.
June 2009
June 2009 – December 2009
35

7. Infrastructure Development.
8. Human Resource Requirements.
9. Student Recruitment
10. Launch
June 2009 – June 2010
June 2009 – March 2010
January 2010 – September 2010
February 2010 – September 2010
September 2010 During 5th
Annual Rural
Development Conference
ACTION PLAN
Activity Responsibility Time Frame
1.Faculty Concept Document Formulation Prof. Luswazi
Director Centre for Rural
Development
15 April 2009
1.1 Proposal and Business Plans with
Budgets
Prof. Luswazi August 2009
2. Establishment of Advisory Committee Prof. Luswazi 1st
June 2009
3. Feasibility Study/ Needs Analysis Prof. Songca Executive Dean,
Faculty of Science and
Engineering
June – August 2009
4. Lobbying of WSU Council, Minister of
Education and National Cabinet –
Awareness of Rural Universities Forum
Prof. Balintulo,
Vice Chancellor
31st
June 2009
5. Consultation and Awareness of Faculty
Boards and Senate.
Prof. Obi DVC Research and
Academic Affairs. March 2009 on wards
6. Review of Legislature Framework Mrs. Sangqu 1st
June 2009
7. Workshops for Internal/ External Higher
Education Stakeholders and Project
Partners
Prof. Luswazi 30 June 2009
8. Curriculum and Programme
Development for Agricultural Studies
Prof. Obi (main responsibility)
Prof. Songca
Prof. Jumban
Prof. Nakani
Prof. Tau – Mzamane
Dr. Lwanga Iga
Mr. Ntsabo
First Round
31 August 2009
9. Programme Quality Assurance Prof. Byss First Round
31 August 2009
36

10. Submission to
• Senate
• DoE
• SAQA
• Agri –Society
• Sociological Society
(Development Studies)
Prof. Obi 31 November 2009
11. Curriculum for Development Studies Prof. Luswazi 31 August 2009
NB
Responsibility for specific actions lies in the hands of either Executive Management or Members of
the Founding Task Team. For however sub committees will be set up for which internal and external
expertise will be sought and co –opted.
37

Concept Paper of the Agric Faclty

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