Peter Ruvuga, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

What are the most important reflections from your doctoral project so far?
In my first study I learned that livestock plays a great role in rural communities’ livelihood. I also found livestock keepers are perceived as competition by other land users since most of them do nothing to improve the productivity of their grazing areas.

How do you find it being supervised by both UDSM/ SUA* and SLU scholars? Is there an added value in your opinion?
As there is a wide difference in livestock and grazing land management between Tanzanian and Swedish livestock keepers, I think that having supervisors from both sides is important in addressing these differences and they assist me in identifying the most relevant research questions

Would you like to share any unexpected experience?
Yes, the work together with academic merits working in this project has helped me to raise environmental awareness among livestock keepers. Experiencing rural life first hand was quite a thrill, also seeing various aspects of livestock production and knowing that my work is part of the solution was rewarding.

If you can send a message to a prospective SLU PhD student, what would that message be?
My message would be that as the coming generation of scientists we need to find the solution to the pending problems that will face our societies. Agriculture is the important tool in ensuring food security and SLU could be the best place to pioneer it sustainably.

*Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA)