Bachelor of Science (Horticulture)

Philosophy of the Programme

The programme philosophy is to produce world-class university graduates who will provide leadership and excel in all fields of agriculture, ranging from agribusiness, agricultural extension and outreach, agricultural policy and trade, crop and animal production, environmental protection, food systems, and land resource management.

The programme provides quality training that embodies the aspirations of the Kenyan people and the global community through the creation, preservation, integration, transmission and utilization of knowledge and skills in the field of agriculture and food systems. The hallmark of the training will be, freedom of thought and expression, innovation, creativity, quality research, and excellence, taking into account the prevailing national and international policy priorities and technological advancements in agriculture and food systems to realize sustainable and secure livelihoods.

Rationale of the Programme

Agriculture is the backbone of Kenya’s economy where it contributes about 34 per cent of the gross national product (GDP) and accounts for over 20 per cent of total formal employment. Agricultural produce accounts for about 65 per cent of the country’s exports and 80% of raw materials supplied to the local agro-based industries. In recent times, agricultural production systems in Kenya have become increasingly intensive in response to high food demand amidst a shrinking land resource. In addition, Kenya’s agriculture has become more susceptible to the adverse effects of climate variability and changes in consumer tastes and preferences in the local, regional, and global markets. The increasing global demand for high-quality food calls for the production of graduates in agriculture who can effectively generate and promote agricultural technologies, strategies and services that enhance not only agricultural productivity but also food quality while preserving the environment as envisaged in Kenya’s Vision 2030, the Big Four Agenda and the Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy while taking cognizance of the regional and international agriculture and trade policies.

One of the major challenges in agricultural production is the huge on-farm and post-harvest losses caused by an array of weeds, diseases and pests. The extensive indiscriminate use of pesticides and antimicrobial remedies has contributed to harmful effects not only on humans but also on non-target organisms and biodiversity and compromised food quality. The export and local markets, on the other hand, are continually demanding high-quality agricultural produce that is free of chemical and microbial contaminants. This has failed the Kenyan farmer to access lucrative export markets due to his inability to comply with stringent sanitary and phytosanitary standards. The transformation envisaged in Kenya’s Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy calls for the development of new crop and livestock pest, disease and environmental management strategies, new agribusiness approaches, market demand analysis, and effective agricultural policy design and response. This will require a well-trained human resource in agriculture.

This programme aims to fill the human resource gap in agriculture by training graduates both in agriculture-related sciences and fundamentals of the professional agricultural disciplines (agricultural economics, animal science, crop protection, crop science, Horticulture, Soil and Environment Management, and Drylands Resource Management). In the third year of study, the students will opt and specialize in any of the following majors: Crop Science, Crop Protection, Horticulture, Soil and Environment Management, Animal Science, Agricultural Economics and Drylands Resource Management. These graduates are expected to work in agricultural-based; industries, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, universities, and centres for international agricultural research among others. They will provide technical services in agribusiness, agricultural policy formulation, animal production, crop production and land and environmental management