By Ikome Christie-Noella Eposi
Prof Ernest L. Molua, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Cooperation and Relations with the Business World at the University of Bamenda, Cameroon has been recognized by RUFORUM and awarded for his exemplary leadership, dedication and unwavering commitment to the advancement of higher education, research and agricultural development in the RUFUROM Network.
He was handed his awardon Thursday, November 2, 2023 at the congress hall in Yaoundé as an “Outstanding scientist in Agriculture in the continent of Africa for 2023”.
Bringing together over 600 delegates from across Africa and beyond, the 19th AGM ran from October 28th to November 2, 2023 and was held under the theme “Transforming Higher Education to sustainably feed and create prosperity for Africa”.
The RUFORUM Annual General Meeting is a platform for reviewing network operations and receiving guidance from its governance organs and stakeholders. During the AGM, the network also reviewed its technical delivery and engagements through a scientific session which included presentations, poster sessions and exhibitions. Stakeholders during the meeting engaged in discussions that enhanced the higher agricultural and tertiary education in Africa.
The award ceremony is a prestigious event that aims to honour and celebrate individuals that have made significant contributions to the fields of science, research and agriculture.
In her message, the RUFORUM Board Chair, Prof. Theresia Nkuo-Akenji noted that this is the first time such a meeting is held in Central Africa. “The AGM is co-hosted by RUFORUM’s five member universities in Cameroon; The University of Bamenda, University of Buea, University of Dschang, University of Ngoundere and the University of Maroua. Since our last meeting in Zimbabwe, our world has continued to make progress and at the same time faced a number of development challenges which have implications on what we do as a continent, and importantly as the agriculture higher education and research for development sector” while noting that all is not bad as some positive strides have been made, the Board Chair added that the scope for improvement exists and as a network they can leverage on each other’s strength to grow.
“It is our collective response to the clarion call from Africa and the World for African academic and research institutions and their partners to generate solutions that will foster steady progress and usher in a better future for humanity” she concluded.
Who is Prof. Ernest L. Molua?
Prof. Ernest L. Molua is an Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics. He is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Cooperation and Relations with the Business World of the University of Bamenda, Cameroon
Formerly, he served as the Director for Infrastructure, Planning and Development of the University of Douala, the Registrar of the University of Buea, the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine of the University of Buea and the Head of the Department for Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness of the University of Buea.
In 2017, while Dean, he ascribed the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine of the University of Buea into RUFORUM during the 13th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting in Lilongwe, Malawi. Professor Molua obtained academic degrees in Agricultural Economics and Policy Analysis from the Georg-August University of Goettingen, Germany and the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Since 2008, Professor Molua has been involved in the training of students across Africa to transform the agro-food sectors and the rural economies in an environmentally sustainable fashion under the Collaborative Masters in Agricultural and Applied Economics (CMAAE) of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), which covers 17 Departments of Agricultural Economics in the Eastern, Central and Southern African countries.
Professor Molua is a member of the College of Research Associates of the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa in Accra, Ghana. A Fulbright Research Fellow at Yale University, USA, he also serves as a Visiting Professor to the United Nations Institute for Economic Development and Planning, Dakar, Senegal, as well as, the Africa Program of the United Nations University for Peace Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.