Incorporating value chain approaches into horticultural study programmes in developing countries

• Published in: Acta horticulturae no. 921; pp. 119 - 130
• Main Authors: Hofmann-Souki, S, Wenz, K, Bokelmann, W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: International Society for Horticultural Science 01.01.2011
• Subjects: communication skills; curriculum; developing countries; employment; foods; horticulture; human resources; interdisciplinary research; learning; postharvest treatment; poverty; research projects; supply chain; universities; vegetables
• ISSN: 0567-7572
• DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.921.14

The “Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin” is coordinating two collaborative EU-projects aimed at incorporating Value Chain approaches into horticultural and agricultural curricula at universities in developing countries. The ValueLEad project aims at enabling student education in sustainable and quality-oriented fresh-food chain management (FFCM) at two African universities, with a focus on poverty alleviation and meeting the needs of the agri-food sector, in particular the vegetables and fruit as well as dairy sectors. The DOCUMAP project focuses on education and training in the fields of supply chain management and postharvest handling of vegetables and fruit at three Asian universities. The projects are based on three assumptions: Graduates of horticultural (and agricultural) study programmes require analytical and problem-solving skills, an interdisciplinary thinking style, team work and communication skills and - centrally - aptitude and attitude of self-directed learning in order to master the challenges of their future jobs in rapidly changing horticultural and food sectors. Problem-Based Learning (PBL)-type student research projects and multiple collaboration with actors of the agri-food sector are central elements of study programmes with these competence-based learning objectives. Curricula, institutions and human resources need to be simultaneously developed on different levels in order to adapt study programmes to this end. The projects thus address lecturers at the African and Asian partner universities within various complementary project activities for development of student-centred PBL and interdisciplinary research as well as other Value-Chain related curriculum elements. Furthermore, the cooperation between the universities offers a basis for North-South and South-South academic partnership networks for continuous development of the food-chain management concept and its adaptation to African and Asian reality. In this article the concepts of and experiences with the two projects are described, successes and challenges analysed and conclusions for refinement of the approach presented.