The National University of Agriculture in Benin Announces First Cohort of TAGDev 2.0 Program Scholars for the 2025/26 Academic Year

27 September, 2025

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National University of Agriculture (UNA), is proud to announce the selection of its first cohort of scholars under the TAGDev 2.0 program, a transformative initiative in partnership with the Regional University Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) and Mastercard Foundation.

The National University of Agriculture (UNA) in Benin is committed to advancing academic and social inclusion by ensuring equitable access to quality education for all students, regardless of their social or geographical background. In this context, TAGDev 2.0, implemented through RUFORUM in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, is playing a pivotal role. Through this collaborative initiative, full scholarships are offered to talented African students, residing in Benin, from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and post-conflict areas, providing them not only with financial support, but also with enhanced academic support and practical training. TAGDev 2.0 scholarship recipients will develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills to enable them access to dignifying and fulfilling jobs and become agents of change in Benin’s agricultural sector and beyond.

Selection process

The call for applications at UNA attracted a total of 589 applications. Following a rigorous selection process beginning with a workshop for students’ admission on 25 April 2025 at Sakété Campus, where 136 BSc and 129 MSc applicants were shortlisted. From this pool, 87 candidates including 39 women and 2 differently abled persons advanced to home validations and psychometric assessments. After the final review, 25 outstanding students were awarded full scholarships, positioning them to become future leaders and change agents in their communities.

Below is a table listing the selected scholars for the bachelor’s program

Nº	Recipient	Gender	Course
1.	FADIKPE Ayékofè Martine	female	BSc. in Aquaculture
2.	OKPEÏCHA Adénikè Naïmath	female	BSc. in Aquaculture
3.	DASSI Senou Esperan	male	BSc. in Aquaculture
4.	HOUNYE Emmanuelle Mahugnon	female	BSc. Agribusiness and Agricultural Policies
5.	TOTA N’da Pierre	male	BSc. Agribusiness and Agricultural Policies
6.	CHAFFA Lucresse	female	BSc. Agribusiness and Agricultural Policies
7.	KINHA Josette Marie	female	BSc. Agribusiness and Agricultural Policies
8.	TOTIN Houehanou Joseph Wolfram	male	BSc. In Conservation and Processing of Agro-products
9.	KINHOUEYITO SOKOTALE Olive	female	BSc. In Conservation and Processing of Agro-products
10.	HOUNKPEVI Christelle Meyisewhe	female	BSc. In Conservation and Processing of Agro-products
11.	KINNANON Hélène	female	BSc. In Conservation and Processing of Agro-products
12.	TEFFA Ourope Nadine Joïce	female	BSc. In Conservation and Processing of Agro-products
13.	GBOYOU Marina Mystique Mahoutodji	female	BSc. Management and Operations of Livestock
14.	AMOUYI Obassandjo Sourou Osthéo Joël	male	BSc. Management and Operations of Livestock
15.	SERO Denise	female	BSc. Management and Operations of Livestock

Below is a table listing the selected scholars for the Master program

Nº	Recipient	Gender	Course
1.	OYENIRAN Djessilatou Awèni	female	MSc. Food Science and Technology and Human Nutrition
2.	ADONON Valentine Sènami Gilles	female	MSc. Food Science and Technology and Human Nutrition
3.	AKPASSONOU Deomerck Ornella	female	MSc. Food Science and Technology and Human Nutrition
4.	TCHEGBE Alphonse	male	MSc. Aquaculture
5.	DJOI Sonagnon Lydie	female	MSc. Aquaculture
6.	HOUNTON Nonhouégnon Gloria Chancelle	female	MSc. Plant Biotechnology and Seed Production
7.	OGOUTCHEMI Adéléké	male	MSc. Plant Biotechnology and Seed Production
8.	GOUNOU SAKA Zouliatou	female	MSc. Plant Biotechnology and Seed Production
9.	ASSOUKOU Emmanuel	male	MSc. Tropical Forestry
10.	DOUDJO Mahulomè Mèdéssè Anne Marie	female	MSc. Tropical Forestry

About RUFORUM and TAGDev

RUFORUM, established in 2004, is a network of 175 universities across 40 African countries which collaborates globally with other university networks, development partners, policymakers, and leaders to leverage synergies and work towards shared objectives in delivering science solutions for development, human capital development, and institutional reform in the African Higher Agricultural Education (HAE) system. RUFORUM recognizes youth as the driving force of the change for a better Africa. Launched in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the TAGDev 2.0 (Transforming African Agricultural Universities to meaningfully contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development), a scale-up to TAGDev 1.0, is a 10-year (2023–2033) program being implemented in 12 African universities, namely;

Africa University (Zimbabwe)
Egerton University (Kenya)
Gulu University (Uganda)
Malawi University of Science and Technology (Malawi)
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (Morocco)
National University of Agriculture (Benin)
Uganda Martyrs University (Uganda)
University of Bamenda (Cameroon)
University of Eldoret (Kenya)
University of Cape Coast (Ghana)
University of Port Harcourt (Nigeria)
University of Free State (South Africa)

TAGDev 2.0 is designed to;

Expand equal work opportunities for young women and men in the agricultural sector;
Improve climate adaptive agricultural production and productivity with a focus on value chains;
Strengthening the quality of higher agricultural education outcomes in training, research and innovation.

Why it matters

TAGDev 2.0 is more than just a scholarship, it is a unique transformative pathway through which UNA is nurturing a new generation of agricultural leaders and entrepreneurs. Beyond providing financial support, the initiative serves as a catalyst for systemic change, tackling interlinked challenges of education, youth unemployment, and agricultural development in Benin. In a country where livelihoods largely depend on agriculture, investing in skilled, innovative, and socially committed professionals is critical. TAGDev 2.0 empowers young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to access quality education, thereby reducing social inequalities and strengthening national human capital. By embedding practical training, entrepreneurship, and leadership development rooted on climate adaptive, productive and competitive agricultural value chains, the program equips graduates not only to secure decent employment but also to generate opportunities for others. As such TAGDev 2.0 contributes directly to the sustainable transformation of Benin’s agricultural sector, youth employment, and wealth creation.

To learn more about the TAGDev 2.0 program at UNA, follow the social media handles below;