Universities, Business and Research in Agricultural INovation (UniBRAIN) Initiative

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Danida has provided funds to FARA to support the Universities, Business and Research in Agricultural INovation (UniBRAIN) Initiative. The January 2010 - December 2014 UniBRAIN programme is purposed to link university education, research and business in sustainable agriculture. UniBRAIN’s Development Objective is for innovation and entrepreneurship derived jobs in the agricultural sector to be created through partnerships between universities, research institutions and the private sector.

UniBRAIN’s major components are:

1. Promoting innovation through the establishment of university-led agribusiness incubators in Danida priority countries. These are in Eastern Africa in the ASARECA sub-region: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania; in West Africa in the CORAF/WECARD: sub-region: Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana; in Southern African in the SADC sub-region: Mozambique and Zambia.
2. Supporting graduate training in entrepreneurial and business skills.
3. Advancing graduate research-based knowledge that is relevant to the development of African agriculture and agribusinesses.