Agriculture is the mainstay of Kenya’s economy as it provides not only food and employment but also the basis of the development of other sectors of the economy. With the fast growing population and diminishing good agricultural land, it has become increasingly necessary to intensify agricultural production and enhance resource productivity within the sector. However, production requires well trained and skilled human capital input that will ensure efficient resource allocation and management throughout the industry.

The role of trained specialists in the areas of Agricultural Marketing, Agricultural Resource Management, and Agricultural and Food Policy Analysis in developing countries like Kenya cannot be over-emphasized. With the on-going Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) leading to privatization and market liberalization in both the industrial and agricultural sectors, there is an urgent need for high-level manpower training in the fields of Agricultural Economics and related fields. The process of market liberalization and privatization means that the direct role of government and parastatals in production and marketing of agricultural commodities has to be drastically reduced. Instead, the private sector, as individuals or firms, are to control the industries and trade which hitherto have been dominated by government agencies and parastatals.

The Division of Agricultural Resource Economics and Management (AREM) in the Faculty of Agriculture is committed to participating in the national effort to modernize agriculture at the farm, marketing and industry levels through training of high-skilled man-power at the M.Phil level. The M.Phil programme is designed to prepare students for professional careers in research, teaching and management in both public and private sectors.

The overall objective of the programme is to train high-level skilled manpower in the theoretical, practical and research techniques in Agricultural Economics and Resource Management.

It is expected that graduates from the programme would have developed and acquired enough competence to enable them fulfil the following specific objectives:-

1. Carry out research in Agricultural Resource Economics
2. Analyze agricultural problems relating to production, marketing or policy aspects and give well thought economic and policy recommendations for solving such problems
3. Successfully manage public or private agricultural organizations or projects
4. Participate in agricultural development programmes as policy analysts, advisors, consultants, administrators or extension specialists
5. Make use of the acquired knowledge and practical skills to pursue further postgraduate studies
   

The Moi University common regulations for registration into a Master’s degree programme shall normally apply.

1. In addition, applicants for the M.Phil degree in Agricultural Resource Economics and Management must have at least a BSc. Or B.A. Second Class Honours (Upper Division) degree or its equivalent in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Economics, Commerce or other related disciplines from a recognized University.
2. Applicants may be required to appear for interview in order to establish their suitability for the degree programme.

The common procedure approved by the University shall apply.

The M.Phil programme shall be by course work, examination and thesis distributed over a period of continuous two academic years of full-time attendance.

The first year of study is to be spent on course work and examination covering core courses and required courses. The second year of study is devoted to elective courses, research and writing of a thesis covering an approved topic chosen by the candidate.

A minimum of 48 units of the ARE 800-level courses must be successfully completed before graduation.

The Moi University common regulations and procedure for M.Phil examination shall apply.

Assessment of taught courses shall consists of a written final examination which shall normally constitute 70% of the total marks in each paper and continuous assessment tests which shall normally constitute 30%.

The pass mark in each paper shall be 50%.

A candidate who fails in not more than six units in any year of study shall be allowed to sit for supplementary examination provided that the marks obtained in each failed paper is not less than 40%.

A candidate who fails in more than six units in any year of study or a candidate who fails a supplementary examination shall be discontinued from the programme.