Doctor of Philosophy in Agronomy

Overview

Objectives

Agronomy was traditionally defined in the context of a speciality area of arable agriculture

emphasizing field crops. While breeders attempt to match varieties to the environment,

agronomists attempt to adapt them to the environment and management. Agronomy,

therefore, is the cornerstone of all crop productivity which must be driven by the necessary

education, training, research and capacity building in light of the following imperatives: use

of improved seed and other inputs, knowledge in plant and cell physiology, management of

rhizosphere dynamics, decision-making related to biological and environmental constraints.

In the changing times, emerging interest in precision agriculture and the sensitivity of

agriculture to climate widens the scope of agronomic education, training and research. For

instance, possible changes of climate and their effects on plants, soil, pests and diseases;

effects on agricultural potential, on production and land use; implications for food security

and adapting to climate change are a few of the emerging concerns for contemporary crop

production. The agronomy discipline is thus called upon to provide capacity that will

produce abundant agronomic products in the 21st Century and beyond.

The programme is thus tailored to meet the needs of a wider public clientele than has

traditionally been the case. It is made more flexible and versatile to allow any course to

be taken in an occasional mode or a carry-over on its own as a unit (or its fraction)

toward the prescribed parts of the programme. Two specializations (one in field crop

production and the other in environmental agronomy) do broaden the programme

horizons as options students may wish to take relative to the prevailing job market

opportunities and the emerging advances in the field of agronomy. More over, the

programme is structured in such a way as to fit more library time, self-study and part-time

learning where full time undertaking is not possible.

The objectives of this programme are therefore: -

(i) To produce graduates with ability to identify research problems, design and execute

research projects aimed at solving the problems within a changing agricultural

environment. At the same time, the training is to update the agronomists with the

latest developments in the field of crop production and/or environmental agronomy.

(ii) To train highly skilled agronomists who will help optimise the country

Structure

The programme shall take a minimum of three academic years and a maximum of six academic years.

Each academic year shall consist of two (2) semesters of 15 weeks each.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Agronomy shall be offered by course work, examinations, research and a thesis.
The programme shall consist of five (5) compulsory taught course units and a thesis.
A course unit shall be defined as 60 instructional hours comprising lectures, seminars, term papers and independent desktop research.
The research and thesis component of the programme shall be equivalent to 18 course units which is equivalent to 1080 Hours.

A candidate shall carry out supervised thesis research, for a minimum period of two academic years, and a maximum of four academic years, culminating in a Doctoral thesis.
SCHEDULE OF INTAKE

Students are admitted once every year usually in September with exception of variation that may be caused by unforeseen circumstances. Applications are, however, received all year round and are processed for yearly admission.

Admission Requirements

The common regulations for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in the University of Nairobi shall
apply.

Holders of a Master’s degree in Agronomy or related plant sciences from the
University of Nairobi or any other institution recognized by the Senate.

In addition, the applicant shall hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture
related disciplines from the University of Nairobi or any other institution
recognized by the Senate.

The applicant must be able to produce evidence of an adequate academic
background in the discipline and capacity to carry out original research by
submitting a research concept note on the proposed topic of study.

The concept note shall include a brief statement of the problem, research objectives,
research hypothesis, brief literature review, a summary of the proposed
methodology, expected outputs, work plan and key references.

Applicants from non-English speaking countries must produce evidence of
proficiency in spoken and written English language

Careers

Career Prospects/ Opportunities

Researchers in national and international research organizations such as KALRO and CGIAR centres
Policy makers in government agriculture sector ministries
Trainers in Agricultural tertiary technical and academic institutions
National and international regulatory institutions such as the FAO, IPPC, KEPHIS, KEBS, PCPB
Pest and Disease control experts/ consultants
Researchers and policy makers in agro-chemical industries/ Pesticide efficacy testing
Non-Governmental Organizations
Entrepreneurial self-employment in agricultural production

Fees and Funding

	Item	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	TOTAL
1	Registration	4,500	4,500	4,500	13,500
2	Tuition (KES 25,000/ unit)	200,000	225,000	175,000	600,000
3	Examination	6,000	-		6,000
4	Thesis Supervision	100,000	100,000	100,000	300,000
5	Thesis Examination	-	-	50,000	50,000
6	Laboratory and field fee	132,000	132,000	132,000	396,000
7	ICT services	7,000	7,000	7,000	21,000
8	Library	5,000	5,000	5,000	15,000
9	ID Card	1,000	1,000	1,000	3,000
10	Caution money (Refundable)	5,000	-	-	5,000
11	Medical fee	6,500	6,500	6,500	19,500
12	Activity Fee	2,000	2,000	2,000	6,000
13	Student organization	1,000	1,000	1,000	3,000
	Total	470,000	484,000	484,000	1,438,000

Philosophy, Rationale

Philosophy of the Programme
The programme is driven by the need to train competent graduates who can engage at the local,
regional, continental and global levels in crop production and environmental agronomy issues.

The programme philosophy is consistent with the University’s vision, which is to be “a world-
class university committed to scholarly excellence”.

The programme is particularly inspired by the need to train high calibre agronomists,
independent academics, research scientists and practitioners who competently apply critical
thinking and analytical capabilities to respond to agricultural challenges. This will not only
transform the way agricultural resources are managed but also increase efficiency and conserve
the environment for sustainable development in Kenya and beyond.

Rationale of the Programme

The agricultural sector is the mainstay of Kenya’s economy as a source of food, industrial raw
materials and employment for about 75 per cent of the population, both directly and indirectly.
Agriculture accounts for about 33 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. Despite an
increasing human population, agricultural productivity has significantly reduced due to

declining soil fertility, shrinking arable land and climate change. In addition, available land,
water and agro-input resources have not been utilized efficiently to maximise yield with
minimal environmental degradation. Development of the agriculture sector and the economy
underpins the need to build capacity that will drive increased crop productivity while managing
resources and the environment sustainably. Universities play a pivotal role as training and
research institutions to provide competent manpower. Crop productivity is primarily
influenced by biotic and abiotic stresses and the interaction between crop genotypes, crop
management and the environment.
Under yield-limiting conditions, increasing crop yields while maintaining environmental
quality will require the advanced knowledge and skills necessary to optimize crop-environment
interactions. In addition, orientations, methodologies and research practices in agronomy have
significantly changed in the modern world. The rapidly changing climates have led to the need
to design highly productive and resilient crop systems while agricultural mechanization and
artificial intelligence have transformed the way agriculture is practised. In addition, the need
for competent agronomy teaching and research personnel has increased, both locally and
regionally. Therefore, there is need for well-trained manpower in agronomy to meet the
existing and future demand in research, training and outreach, to provide innovative solutions
to the challenges of food security, climate change, improved livelihoods, economic
development and wealth creation in Kenya and the region.

Application Information

Online applications are accepted all year round at: https://application.uonbi.ac.ke/index.php

The following documents are required to be uploaded during the online application:

KCSE/ O-level certificate
Certified copies of undergraduate certificate and transcripts
Applicants with KCSE C (plain) to attach certified copies of a diploma from KNEC in addition to those stated in 1&2
Applicants with KCSE C- (minus) to attach certified copies of a certificate and a diploma from KNEC in addition to those stated in 1&2
Certified copies of masters degree and transcripts
PhD proposal

International applicants are required to attach:

Documents certified by the university attended
Evidence of accreditation status of the university attended
Proof of English proficiency
Translated documents into English for applicants from non-English speaking countries

Mode of Delivery

Face-to-Face Mode
The programme will adopt a face-to-face mode of delivery based on various techniques that
include lectures, seminars, case-based learning and tutorials.
Open and Distance Learning Mode
The programme will be offered using a multi-media approach that includes self-instructional print and
electronic study materials. The ODeL mode of delivery shall only apply for the taught course units,
except the Graduate seminars.
Blended Learning Mode

The blended learning mode of delivery will be through e-Learning that combines minimal face-
to-face and online learning approaches. Online lectures will be conducted both synchronously

and asynchronously.

Contacts of Support Persons

Prof. Josiah Kinama

Contacts: +254 20 4916020, e-mail: dept-pscp@uonbi.ac.ke

Prof. James Muthomi

Contacts: +254 20 4916020, e-mail: dept-pscp@uonbi.ac.ke

Notable alumni

Prof. Ratemo W. Michieka - Professor of Agronomy, University of Nairobi

Prof. Daniel M. Mukunya - Retired Professor, University of Nairobi

Prof. Agnes W. Mwangómbe – Emeritus Professor, University of Nairobi

Prof. Rama D. Narla Retired Professor, University of Nairobi

Prof. Eunice W. Mutitu - Emeritus Professor, University of Nairobi