Process skills and competency gaps in undergraduate agricultural extension curriculum in Nigeria, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, and Kenya

Process skills and core competencies are basic sets of knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that agricultural extension professionals require to perform their tasks effectively. Periodic review of undergraduate (UG) agricultural extension curricula is necessary to train graduates with core process skills and competencies that will enable sustainable food security, improved livelihoods, and natural resource conservation. The study reviewed the UG agricultural extension curriculum used in fi ve MSU-AAP Consortium member universities covering Nigeria, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, and Kenya with the following research questions: 1. What are the curriculum development processes in MSU-AAP universities? 2. What are the structure and contents of the UG agricultural extension curriculum? 3. What instructional methods are used for the transaction of the UG curriculum? 4. What core process skills and competencies are covered in the curriculum? 5. What are the strengths and gaps in the UG agricultural extension curriculum in Africa? Data were collected through a desktop review of curriculum documents for agricultural extension training programs offered at the universities and literature on the competency needs of extension professionals. The courses in agricultural extension approved by the countries’ national regulatory bodies / institutions and taught in universities were reviewed. The contents were evaluated against the available literature on current and emerging functions of agricultural extension professionals and expected competencies, and reviewed scholarly work on capacity needs analysis of extension advisory services (EASs) to develop a framework for assessing the UG agricultural extension curricula at the universities. Eleven competencies domains were identifi ed and operationalized: program planning; program implementation; communication; ICTs; program monitoring and evaluation; personal and professional development; diversity and gender; marketing, brokering, and value chain development; extension soft skills; nutrition; and technical subject matter expertise. The number of courses in the UG agricultural extension curriculum that addressed each competence domain was identified and evaluated.