More universities are adopting the upgraded fisheries and aquaculture curriculum in Zambia and across borders

Published on: April 29, 2021, Submitted by Lizzy Muzungaire on: March 26, 2021, Reporting year: 2020

Sustainable Development Goals Contribution

The University of Zambia authorised in January 2020 the implementation of the upgraded fisheries and aquaculture curriculum. Different universities in Zambia and across borders have expressed interest in the curriculum.

Studying fish in the lab

The fisheries science curriculum for Natural Resources Development College (NRDC) was upgraded in 2019 with the support of WorldFish scientists. The upgraded curriculum now includes comprehensive training in aquaculture and entrepreneurship which were missing in the old curriculum. The University of Zambia endorsed the upgraded fisheries and aquaculture curriculum on 10th December 2019 to authorise its implementation in January 2020. The University of Zambia is a quality controller and underwrites the diploma certificates conferred by NRDC.  Also, an Aquaculture Skills Training Centre (ASTC) was launched in December 2020 in a high-level event attended by Hon. Prof. Nkandu Luo (MP), Zambia’s Minister of Fisheries and Livestock.

As a followup to the Fisheries and Aquaculture curriculum which was developed and rolled out in January 2020, the following products were also developed to reinforce the curriculum/traning package:

i. staff training manual; to guide trainers on how to effectively use the newly upgraded curriclum

ii. Aquaculture short courses curriulum; to offer training opportunities to practicing and prospective farmers plus private and public sector employees to gain refresher experience

iii. construction of an aquaculture skills training centre (ASTC) which comprises a hatchery and fish ponds plus office space. This is meant to provide everyday hands-on practical experience for students and also as a business unit through sell of fingerlings and table fish

iv. sustainability plan to ensure the ASTC is sustained beyond the project, a business model was developed

v. elerning platform for tilapia production; to compliment the curriculum and enhance learning process

vi. internship strategy that will ensure that students get sufficient practical experience even before they graduate

vii. marketing strategy; to ensure the fisheries and aquaculture program is promoted and many can access training and thereby increase human resource and also aquapreneurs

88 students (38% females) are currently using the project's fisheries and aquaculture upgraded curriculum. The new curriculum scaled up to Kasaka Fisheries Training Institute (KFTI), rolled out its new upgraded curriculum to 42 first-year students. KFTI is also pursuing accreditation with Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA). It would not have been easy for them to meet the TEVET accreditation criteria without the revised curriculum.Two universities in Zambia (Copperbelt & Mulungushi) have also  expressed interest. WorldFish and Mulungushi University signed an MOU in September 2020, and has an MOU with Chinhoyi University of Technology in Zimbabwe, whose objective to develop a practical aquaculture curriculum among others.

Disaggregates for Sphere of Influence

  • B.1.3 - Improved capacity of women and young people to participate in decision-making

  • D.1.1 - Enhanced institutional capacity of partner research organizations

Focus

  • Gender: 1 - Significant objective

  • Youth: 1 - Significant objective

  • Capacity Development & Knowledge Sharing: 2 - Principal objective

Specific Disaggregates for this Policy Indicator

  • Policy/Investment Type: Curriculum

  • Whose policy is fixed? Public Sector, Other (Academic institutions)

  • Stage of Maturity: Level 2 - Policy/Law etc. Enacted

Linked Outcome/Impact Case Report (OICR)

Acknowledgement

 

This work was undertaken as part of the CGIAR Research Program on Fish Agri-Food Systems (FISH) led by WorldFish. The program is supported by contributors to the CGIAR Trust Fund. Funding support for this work was provided by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) under the Aquaculture Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training for Improved Private Sector and Smallholder Skills (AQ TEVET) Project

For further details on the project, contact the project Leader Keagan Kakwasha K.Kakwasha@cgiar.org

CGIAR portfolios & Partners

References

Countries

About the author

Keagan Kakwasha is Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Coordinator at WorldFish - WF.