The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Agronomy Degree programme of the University of Nairobi
has produced most of the leading agronomists who are serving key sectors in government,
research and development organizations in Kenya and internationally. The revised programmes
aim at training leaders in the field of agronomy with the necessary knowledge and skills to
develop innovations, policies and managerial skills required for sustainable agricultural
production.
The programme has been revised to be compliant with the national and international policies

The science of plant breeding has over many centuries led to the development of superior crop
varieties that are high yielding, have higher nutritional value, have better agronomic and
horticultural characteristics, varieties resistant to heat, cold, or drought and improved. The
revised curriculum in Genetics and Plant Breeding will train researchers and academicians who
will be leaders in the development of innovations and policies in genetics and plant breeding in
Kenya and the region.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Crop Protection programme was started in 2001 and the
programme has since grown to be one of the most robust in the Department of Plant Science
and Crop Protection. The programme has trained leading professionals in academia, research,
and policymakers in government ministries. The degree programme has traditionally been
offered purely by research and thesis and it has been observed that the students require
certain soft skills to design and execute the research.