Christinah Matsuane, 2013 Commonwealth Scholar from Botswana

MSc Horticulture, University of Swaziland

Christinah Matsuane, a 2013 Commonwealth Scholar from Botswana, studied for an MSc in Horticulture at the University of Swaziland. With a comparatively low level of horticultural production and crop research in Botswana, Christinah was interested in studying abroad to gain access to technologies and practices used in agriculture.

Christinah enjoyed studying with people from different backgrounds and cultures. She also found the practical part of her courses extremely useful, with valuable on-site experience in horticultural fruit farms, thanks to the climate difference in Swaziland.

Before her Master’s studies, Christinah was an Assistant Tutor at the Botswana College of Agriculture, supervising and providing technical advice and assistance to students undertaking practical work and projects, and assisting academic staff with their research projects. She aims to continue her postgraduate studies, and undertake a PhD in Horticulture. ‘This will equip me with better knowledge of horticultural practices, research, teaching, and presentation skills which I will use to fulfil my job.’

Christinah’s Commonwealth Scholarship did not only help to develop her own professional skill base, but also helped build institutional capacity at her college in Botswana. ‘I had no funds to further my studies and the Commonwealth Scholarship will open doors for me in the future. Hopefully, I will become a lecturer. This will also help me to meet the demands of our college, as we are about to become a university but we have few lecturers.’