The future of agriculture in Africa is under threat and if plant-parasitic nematodes are left unmanaged, these pests could have a catastrophic effect on agricultural productivity, whereas other nematodes which have enormous potential for the biological control of insect pests remain unexploited. However, limited awareness and knowledge of nematology has resulted in a lack of trained nematologists and professionals in both non-profit and private sectors, impacting everyone from grassroots farmers to policy makers.

The current project aims to impact the status of nematology education on the long-term by (1) implementing nematology modulus in existing university curricula; (2) creating a joint master programme in nematology with centres of excellence in Sub–Saharan Africa; (3) building nematology capacity in agricultural extension through curriculum building and staff training. Furthermore, the sustainable creation of nematology networks will be ensured to connect all stakeholders among alumni and the Pan-African Nematology network in order to connect all stakeholders, to enable collaboration and life-long nematology learning.