Through the EU-funded AgrBIZZ initiative, the University of Buea is transforming agricultural education in Cameroon by integrating climate-smart practices and entrepreneurial skills, aligning with national development goals to bolster sustainability and employment opportunities across West Africa.
The University of Buea is taking significant strides towards reshaping agricultural education in Cameroon and West Africa through its involvement in the AgrBIZZ Project, a three-year initiative partially funded by the European Union. This project is designed to foster climate-smart agropreneurship education tailored for enhanced employment opportunities and sustainability.
The official launch of the AgrBIZZ initiative in Cameroon coincided with a workshop conducted from May 26 to 30, 2025, engaging participants from diverse countries including Finland, Denmark, and Ghana, along with representatives from the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM). The event, held at the university’s Amphitheatre 250, gathered key stakeholders aiming to equip Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with strategies to provide education that is relevant, inclusive, and responsive to environmental and societal challenges.
Chaired by Professor Michael Sone Ekonde, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching, Professionalisation, and the Development of ICTs, the workshop underscored the integration of entrepreneurial skills into the curriculum. Professor Ekonde expressed appreciation for Dr. Eija Laitinen, the Principal Investigator from HAMK University of Applied Sciences in Finland, for selecting UB as a host. He articulated the university’s commitment to revamping its academic offerings to emphasise entrepreneurship, showcasing the AgrBIZZ project as a vital resource for enhancing the delivery of its compulsory ENT100 Entrepreneurship course.
Dr. Laitinen, in her keynote address, highlighted the project’s broader goals, stating that education must evolve beyond simple knowledge transmission. “We are not just teaching facts; we are teaching people how to think critically, apply knowledge, and innovate within the context of real societal needs,” she remarked. The AgrBIZZ project aims to revise and accredit new curricula focused on climate-smart agricultural practices and entrepreneurial competencies. This transformative educational model encourages students to engage in real-life problem-solving and innovate through collaboration with industry partners.
Moreover, the project’s alignment with national development initiatives garners institutional support and promises to have far-reaching implications. Dr. Ntui Ogork, General Manager of the South West Development Authority (SOWEDA), noted its relevance to Cameroon’s 2024/2026 Import Substitution Plan and Vision 2035. He assured that SOWEDA would provide technical and financial resources to implement initiatives that include farmer training, cooperative development, and digital agriculture. This support will ensure that the advancements from the AgrBIZZ project contribute meaningfully to rural development and agri-value chains.
In interviews following the launch, Professor Ekonde reiterated the strategic importance of the AgrBIZZ project to the university’s academic mission, stating that it enables faculties to enhance the entrepreneurial training provided in agricultural education. Dr. Laitinen also praised UB’s initiative, asserting that real transformation occurs when universities shift from mere knowledge dispensers to nurturing ecosystems for innovation.
As the AgrBIZZ project unfolds, it positions the University of Buea as a leading model for climate-smart and inclusive agropreneurship education in the region. By leveraging international partnerships and aligning with national objectives, UB is redefining agricultural education in the context of ongoing climate change and economic challenges. With this innovative approach, the integration of academic knowledge and practical skills promises a significant impact not just for the university, but for the broader community it serves.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://thesunnewspaper.cm/university-of-buea-champions-climate-smart-agropreneurship-through-agrbizz-project/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=university-of-buea-champions-climate-smart-agropreneurship-through-agrbizz-project – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.hamk.fi/en/projects/climate-smart-agropreneurship-education-for-jobs-and-sustainability-in-western-africa-agrbizz/ – The AgrBIZZ project, co-funded by the European Union, aims to modernise higher education institutions in Cameroon and Ghana by revising and developing climate-smart, competence-based agri-entrepreneurship curricula. It focuses on enhancing student employability and entrepreneurial skills through problem-based learning and fostering collaboration between academia and industry. The project is a partnership between institutions in Finland, Denmark, Ghana, and Cameroon, including the University of Buea, and is set to run from November 2024 to October 2027.
- https://ifro.ku.dk/english/research/projects/agrbizz-project/ – The AgrBIZZ project seeks to enhance the employability and entrepreneurial mindset of graduates in Cameroon and Ghana by modernising agropreneurship education. It aims to revise and develop climate-smart, competence-based curricula, improve teaching methods through problem-based learning, and foster collaboration between academia and industry. The project is a collaborative effort involving multiple higher education institutions and industry partners, employing a participatory action research methodology to integrate problem-based learning and design thinking into the curricula.
- https://repository.ruforum.org/climate-smart-agropreneurship-education-livelihood-and-sustainability-eastern-and-southern-africa – The AgrGROW project is a partnership between higher education institutions in Malawi, Uganda, Denmark, Finland, and the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM). It aims to transform agro-entrepreneurship education by addressing the lack of entrepreneurial mindset among graduates, which hinders employability and capacity for self-employment. The project focuses on creating a generation of graduates capable of starting and growing climate-smart agribusinesses, particularly targeting female graduates, to address climate change concerns and economic issues related to underdevelopment and youth unemployment.
- https://www.hamk.fi/en/projects/agrgrow/ – The AgrGROW project, co-funded by the European Union, aims to enable student-centered learning at higher education institutions, create a network-based learning ecosystem, and promote climate-smart agricultural entrepreneurship in East and Southern Africa. The project implements problem-based learning and climate-smart agricultural entrepreneurship training, piloted through students’ online and fieldwork activities. It focuses on updating curricula for climate-smart agricultural entrepreneurship, improving student-centered teaching methods, and collaborating with a network-based learning ecosystem involving higher education institutions and societal partners.
- https://ifro.ku.dk/english/research/projects/agrgrow/ – The AgrGROW project seeks to integrate problem-based learning methodologies into agro-entrepreneurship curricula to enhance the entrepreneurial competencies and employability of graduates in Malawi and Uganda. It addresses the specific needs and challenges faced by higher education institutions in implementing climate-smart agro-entrepreneurship education through curriculum development and capacity building. The project also aims to develop and sustain collaborative learning ecosystems involving academia, industry, and societal partners to support climate-smart agro-entrepreneurship education in Eastern and Southern Africa.
- https://www.ubuea.cm/index.php/agriculture-agr/ – The University of Buea offers comprehensive education in agriculture, focusing on crop production, livestock management, agricultural economics, and sustainable farming practices. The Agriculture Department provides undergraduate, graduate, and diploma programs, including B.A. in French, B.A. in Bilingual Letters, M.A. in Bilingual Letters, M.A. in Francophone Literatures, M.A. in Sciences du Langage et Literatures Francophone, M.A. in Teaching of French as a Second Foreign Language, DIPET II Agriculture, HND in Food Technology, HND in Agricultural Engineering, HND in Food Safety and Quality Control, HND in Agricultural Economics and Management, and HND in Rural Development, Planning and Administration.
