Bukalasa Agricultural College Cultivates Practical Skills for Modern Farming

At Bukalasa Agricultural College (BAC), early mornings are dedicated to cultivating “Paradise Garden.” Long before sunrise, students are in the fields, tending to a variety of vegetables like carrots, cabbage, and nakatti. This immersive experience is not merely academic study but a rigorous preparation for future agricultural careers, equipping students with essential hands-on skills.

Students like Patience Jazmine Nankinga and George William Ntulume describe their daily routines, which include watering, weeding, pruning, and mulching. These practices are integral to their learning, ensuring they develop a deep understanding of crop management and gain practical skills for economic independence. Nankinga aspires to become an entrepreneur, emphasizing the importance of practical training over theoretical knowledge.

BAC’s approach is gaining national attention as it partners with the PLEDGE project, aimed at transforming higher education in Uganda to support a green growth economy. Associate Prof Joshua Wesana of Mountains of the Moon University highlighted that the project seeks to shift mindsets, moving away from viewing farm work as a punishment to embracing it as a foundational aspect of agricultural training.

The college’s principal, Gelvan Kisolo Lule, has seen the evolution of BAC’s curriculum firsthand. Originally established in 1920 to train farmers, the college shifted towards more theoretical training over the years. However, a curriculum review in the late 2000s, spurred by feedback from stakeholders concerned about students’ reluctance to engage in practical work, led to the reintroduction of mandatory daily farm practices for all students, regardless of their specialization.

This practical, competence-based model is now being considered for wider adoption. Prof Pius Coxwell Achanga, vice chancellor of Mountains of the Moon University, believes BAC’s methodology should be integrated into university curricula to produce more skilled agricultural professionals. The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) also plans to increase the weight of practical skills in student assessments, moving towards a system that values hands-on competence over purely theoretical knowledge.