Backstopping visit by EARTH University: Sharing experiences in community development, entrepreneurship and experiential learning

In 2014, EARTH University received a grant through the RUFORUM Nurturing Grants scheme to strengthen universities' community engagement and rural entrepreneurship as well as increase the level of experiential learning in the focus universities. RUFORUM and EARTH University have a long history of collaboration stemming from EARTH’s unique academic model, focus on entrepreneurship and university-community engagement approach. The project focused on (i) support to Gulu University particularly in community engagement and agri-business (ii) collaboration with Egerton University in implementing agri-business development programs and student attachments and (iii) support to the three new Community Action Research Programmes (CARPs) focusing on wheat, cassava and livestock value chains in Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania respectively. This backstopping visit was the start of a Residency by EARTH staff at Gulu and Egerton and followed a visit by Gulu and Egerton personnel to EARTH earlier in the year. The visit, that took place from 11th to 28th November 2015, focused on a number of programmatic, technical and process issues discussed in the report. The report also highlights outcomes of visits to the RUFORUM Secretariat and Makerere University.