Botswana has officially launched the 21st Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), reaffirming its commitment to leveraging higher education as a cornerstone for agricultural innovation and sustainable development across Africa. The launch event, was hosted by the Ministry of Higher Education at Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) in Sebele. It brought together key stakeholders from government, academia, and development organizations from across the continent.

 

The gathering marked the beginning of a series of activities leading up to the main AGM scheduled for December in Gaborone. It served as both a strategic and symbolic occasion, highlighting Africa’s growing urgency to align its universities with national and continental priorities such as food security, climate resilience, economic diversification, and youth empowerment.

 

In his remarks, BUAN Vice Chancellor, Professor Ketlhatlogile Mosepele, stressed the need for African universities to evolve into “fourth-generation” institutions—universities that are not only centers of knowledge but also dynamic players in local innovation ecosystems. He pointed out that despite the continent’s population increasing nearly fivefold since the 1960s, agricultural productivity has remained stagnant, a reality he described as a failure of higher education institutions to fully embrace science and innovation. “We need universities that transcend national boundaries,” said Prof. Mosepele. “Institutions that are engaged with industry, government, and civil society, and that place technology and innovation at the heart of their operations.” His message was a clear call to action for African universities to redefine their purpose, align more closely with the needs of society, and lead the charge in building a resilient, innovation-driven future for the continent.

 

Present to officially pre-launch RUFORUM was the Minister of Higher Education, Honourable Prince Mooketsi Maele. In his Keynote address he emphasized that Africa’s youthful population represents a unique opportunity that must be matched by robust investment in higher education and research. While acknowledging RUFORUM’s achievements in postgraduate training—supporting over 6,200 master’s and 2,800 PhD candidates—he expressed concern over Africa’s low ratio of scientists, with only 198 per million people, far below the global average of 1,150. “This must change,” Minister Maele asserted. “If Africa is to break the cycle of dependency and underdevelopment, our universities must lead in knowledge production, innovation, and economic transformation.” He also highlighted the need to reverse the decline of agriculture in Botswana’s economy. Once contributing 40% to GDP in 1966, the sector now accounts for just 2%, signaling an urgent need to revitalize it through science-driven solutions.

 

The Minister’s address was inspiring an urgent reminder that Africa’s future hinges on its ability to harness the potential of its youth, reinvest in knowledge systems, and reclaim strategic sectors like agriculture through research and innovation. The official pre-launch of RUFORUM marks not just a milestone, but a renewed commitment to building universities that are truly engines of transformation across the continent.

 

The event was also co-hosted by the RUFORUM Executive Secretary, Professor Patrick Okori. In his address, Okori praised Botswana for hosting the AGM and reaffirmed the Forum’s commitment to building a continent-wide platform for research, training, and innovation. He emphasized that the AGM’s theme; Positioning Africa’s Universities to Effectively Impact Development, speak directly to the continent’s complex challenges and emerging opportunities. Referencing key African Union frameworks such as the CAADP Kampala Declaration and the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan (STYIP), Prof. Okori stated that RUFORUM aims to significantly increase Africa’s scientific productivity and ensure that research translates into practical outcomes new technologies, jobs, and enterprises. He said that, youth engagement remains a top priority, citing ongoing training events, hackathons, and mentorship programs already taking place as part of the pre-AGM agenda. “No contribution is too small. As an African proverb reminds us: if you think you’re too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent the night with a mosquito.” His message resonated with the gathering: that through shared vision, inclusive participation, and sustained investment in science and innovation, Africa's universities can be powerful engines for sustainable development across the continent.

 

The launch event concluded with panel discussions where speakers urged all stakeholders being governments, universities, development partners, and the private sector to collaborate more deeply and to reimagine the role of higher education in shaping Africa’s future.

 

With the main AGM set to take place in Gaborone in December, the momentum from this pre-launch positions Botswana as a key convener of transformative dialogue on education, innovation, and inclusive development across Africa.