RUFORUM’s origins trace back to; 

1988: Rockefeller Foundation recognized food and nutrition security as an emerging challenge in Africa, and that it would involve more than just productivity increase in staple crops. It would require a strong national base of university graduates and national institutions.

1992: The Rockefeller Foundation established the Forum for Agricultural Resource Husbandry (FORUM), connecting 10 universities in East and Southern Africa to improve agricultural education and research by revitalizing graduate training with the goal to 1) train a pool of mid-career (MSc) scientists in required disciplines, and 2) create a pipeline for PhD training to strengthen agricultural faculties in target countries. This initiative emphasized fieldwork, participatory research, and collaboration with smallholder farmers, strengthening university-farmer relationships.

2004: RUFORUM was established by these 10 universities as an African-led initiative and a metamorphosis of FORUM into a collectively owned institution (network), aligned with Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) processes, as a platform for networking, advocacy, and resources mobilisation for food and nutrition-related faculties.

2008: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) provided key core support that sustained the Secretariat and attracted other donors to invest in RUFORUM as it provided new services and expanded the breadth of its network.

2012: A review of BMGF support confirmed RUFORUM’s important role and the Foundation approved and continued its support till 2018.

2017: RUFORUM expanded to 66 member universities in 26 countries, serving as a voice for Higher Education in Agriculture in Africa.

2018: RUFORUM launched it’s Vision 2030: The African Universities’ Agenda for Agricultural Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (AHESTI).

2025: Currently RUFORUM has 175 member universities present in 40 countries (all five sub-regions of Africa), promoting collaboration, resource rationalization in Africa's Higher Agricultural and Tertiary Education sector.