BSc (Hons) Agriscience and Technology (Upgrading P/T) - A321
1.
Objectives
The changing socio-economic pattern of Mauritius has led to an increasing demand for
agricultural produce of good quality. Agricultural production is now increasingly being
characterised by the use of modern technology. It is the Government policy and vision for the
future to adopt a technology-based approach to render the local agricultural sector more
productive, service-oriented, sustainable and competitive whilst responding to the
environmental and ethical standards demanded by society.
The further development of agriculture and its related industries is challenging and requires
appropriate knowledge, skills and technology concepts to keep pace with the latest
technological developments in that sector. This has led to the need for well-trained
agricultural scientists who have the technical and practical skills in addition to in-depth
knowledge of the science to meet these new challenges facing the Mauritian agriculture.
This programme aims to upgrade knowledge of in-service staff of the various agricultural
institutions in Mauritius with a broad spectrum of scientific, technical and managerial skills
needed to contribute to the future success of agriculture.
By the end of this programme graduates will have developed knowledge and skills to
 explain the scientific, economic and business principles underpinning crop and animal
production methods in various type of production systems
 identify technological problems encountered in current crop and livestock production
systems
 transfer relevant knowledge, skills and technology concepts to the producers and to
support innovation
 identify and evaluate appropriate agricultural techniques in the crop and animal sectors
 design, plan and carry out research in the various fields of agriculture
 manage agricultural enterprises and identify new ventures in the agricultural sector
 evaluate the wider consequences of agricultural activities and promote sustainable
agricultural practices.
2.
General Entry Requirements
In accordance with General Entry Requirements for Admission to the University for
Undergraduate Degrees.
3.
Programme Requirements
A Diploma in Agriculture, Agriscience and Technology or related fields from the University
of Mauritius or acceptable alternative qualifications .
4.
Programme Duration
Degree
Normal (Years)
2
Maximum (Years)
4
5.
Credits per Semester : Minimum 9 credits,
6.
Minimum Credits Required for the Award of Undergraduate Degree : 43
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Maximum 24 credits subject to Regulation 4.
Breakdown as follows:
Credits from
Degree
7.
Core Taught
Modules
Project
Electives
GEMs
34
9
-
-
Assessment
Each module will be assessed over 100 marks (i.e. expressed as %) with details as follows
(unless otherwise specified):
Assessment will be based on a Written Examination of 2-3 hour duration, carrying a
weighting of 70%, and Continuous Assessment carrying 30% of total marks for AGRI
modules. Modules from other Faculties/Departments/Centres will carry weighting in the
Written Examination and the Continuous Assessment as specified by the concerned
Faculties/Departments/Centres. Continuous Assessment will be based on laboratory/field
works, and/or assignments, and should include at least 1 class test.
A minimum of at least 30% should be attained in each of Continuous Assessment and Written
Examination, with an overall total of 40% for a candidate to pass a module.
Modules will carry the weightings of 1, 3 or 5 depending on their status (Introductory,
Intermediate or Advanced). Weighting for a particular module is indicated within parentheses
in the module code.
Modules will carry credits in the range of 3 to 6. Project will carry 9 credits.
Written examinations for all the modules will be carried out at the end of the year
8.
Important Note
The rules as stipulated in this Programme Structure and Outline Syllabus will replace all other
rules and regulations.
9.
List of Modules
Code
AGRI 1028Y(3)
AGRI 1029Y(5)
AGRI 1030Y(5)
AGRI 1031Y(5)
AGRI 1032Y(5)
AGRI 2038Y(5)
AGRI 2041Y(5)
AGRI 2042Y(5)
AGRI 3000(5)
Module Name
Hr / Yr
L+P
Research Methods and Field Experimentation 30+30
Crop Production and Protection Technologies 45+45
Animal Production Technologies
45+45
Sugar Cane Agronomy
45+45
Applied Economics, Management and Extension 60+30
Organic and Sustainable Agriculture
45+45
Postharvest Management and Agricultural
60+30
Produce Processing
Agricultural Biotechnology
60+45
Project
2
Credits
3
4
4
4
5
4
5
5
9
10.
Programme Plan – BSc (Hons) Agriscience and Technology (Upgrade P/T)
YEAR 1
Code
Module Name
Hrs/Yr
L+P
Credits
AGRI 1028Y(3)
AGRI 1029Y(5)
AGRI 1030Y(5)
AGRI 1031Y(5)
AGRI 1032Y(5)
Research Methods and Field Experimentation
Crop Production and Protection Technologies
Animal Production Technologies
Sugar Cane Agronomy
Applied Economics, Management and Extension
30+30
45+45
45+45
45+45
60+30
3
4
4
4
5
YEAR 2
Code
Module Name
Hrs/Yr
L+P
Credits
AGRI 2038Y(5)
AGRI 2041Y(5)
Organic and Sustainable Agriculture
Postharvest Management and Agricultural Produce
Processing
Agricultural Biotechnology
Project
45+45
60+30
4
5
60+45
5
9
AGRI 2042Y(5)
AGRI 3000(5)
Total Number of Credits : 43
11.
Outline Syllabus
AGRI 1028Y(1) - RESEARCH METHODS AND FIELD EXPERIMENTATION
Elements of Research Methodology. Introduction to Qualitative research. Planning research
surveys/experiments. Sampling Methods. Design and Analysis of Experiments. Statistical computing
practices using MINITAB & SPSS.
AGRI 1029Y(1) - CROP PRODUCTION AND PROTECTION TECHNOLOGIES
Protected cultivation: advantages and disadvantages. Types of structures and their characteristics.
Plastic tunnels. Greenhouse design and siting considerations. Greenhouses and their operations:
cladding materials; irrigation; fertilisation; CO2 enrichment; energy-saving techniques; supplementary
lighting; and climate control. Crop Production under protected structures.
Diversity of fruit species. Orchard establishment. Fruit tree propagation techniques. Orchard
management and critical cultural practices. Tropical/ subtropical fruit tree growth pattern. Production
and management of selected fruit crops of local importance.
Principles of production and husbandry practices of economically important ornamental crops.
Nursery stock production techniques. Turfgrass production and management. Landscape plant
production.
Plant culture in hydroponics. Plant Nutrition in Soilless Culture. Hydroponics media. Hydroponics
systems. Cropping and production of selected vegetables, fruits and ornamentals in soilless culture
systems. Water culture systems. Substrate culture systems. Aeroponics.
Pests and Integrated disease management. Plant quarantine. Seed certification. Postharvest pests and
diseases and their control.
AGRI 1030Y(1) - ANIMAL PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES
Principles of forage production and utilisation. Carrying capacity of pastures. Forage conservation
techniques. Use of supplementary feeding on pasture. Production of compound feeds. Feed enzyme
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technology and applications. Legislative framework for feed manufacture.
Evaluation and Feed Control.
Technique of Feed
Reproductive management and manipulation of farm animals. Design and evaluation of breeding
plans and crossbreeding systems. Definition of breeding goals. Prediction and evaluation of genetic
change. Tropical Breeding Programmes. New gene-based technologies and their application to
tropical animal reproduction and breeding. Conservation of livestock genetic resources. Current and
emerging issues in animal reproduction and breeding.
Animal Biosecurity Welfare Issues. Livestock waste management. Issues in organic livestock
farming. Integrated farming systems. Steps in the study of animal diseases. Global approach to disease
causing agents. Animal disease status (world, regional, national). Major diseases of economic and
zoonotic importance in named species of livestock. Disease prevention and control. Disease
surveillance.
AGRI 1031Y(1) - SUGAR CANE AGRONOMY
Species, Classification, Morphology and Anatomy. Plant water relations, water and mineral uptake,
photosynthesis, germination, tillering, elongation, natural ripening, artificial ripening and ratooning.
Main diseases of the sugarcane, with emphasis on those occurring in Mauritius, their identification,
transmission and control methods. Main pests of the sugarcane, with emphasis on those occurring in
Mauritius, their identification and control.
The nutritional needs of the sugarcane crop, in terms of NPK and other elements, soil amendments,
fertilisation and fertigation.
Crop water requirements and their determination, irrigation systems, irrigation monitoring.
Land preparation, planting, trashing, harvesting, trash management and weed control.
Use of machines for land preparation, planting, fertilization, herbicide application, harvesting, trash
management and transport.
Climate variability and extremes (cyclones, droughts, excessive rainfall) on sugarcane growth,
development and productivity. Crop logging.
AGRI 1032Y(1) - APPLIED ECONOMICS, MANAGEMENT AND EXTENSION
Applied economics: supply and demand; types of market; production economics; economics of trade
Agricultural and Food Policies.
Applied marketing: Marketing principles applied to the agricultural and food sector; marketing
channels and marketing costs; value-addition for agricultural and food products, International trade in
agricultural and food products
Agribusiness management and entrepreneuship. Agricultural extension & Research linkages. New
trends in agricultural extension. Farmer organizations. FSR & PRA.
Holistic approach to agriculture. Modelling and its application to agriculture. Simulation models.
AGRI 2038Y(3) - ORGANIC AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Organic animal husbandry and breeding. Animal health and welfare through organic pest and disease
control. Organic animal feeds. Loose housing systems. Integrated organic animal production. Systems
of organic food production for food of animal origin. Integrated crop and livestock production
systems (permaculture).
Farming systems for sustainable crop production. Integrated crop management. Introduction to Good
Agricultural Practices. Principles and components of EUREP GAP and its applications. Principles
and techniques of organic cropping. Standards for organic crop production. Organic planting
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materials and other organic farm inputs. Organic production of selected fruit and vegetable crops.
Traceability.
Sustainable development issues. Sustainability Indicators Economics of sustainable agriculture; Niche
marketing for organic products.
Sustainable Crop Protection measures. Organic Pest and Disease Control. Organic Soil Health
Management. Organic Fertilisers and Soil amendments. Composting. Nutrient Dynamics.
Integrated Nutrient Management.
AGRI 2041Y(3) - POSTHARVEST MANAGEMENT AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE
PROCESSING
Climacteric and non-climacteric produce. Post-harvest Physiology. Post-harvest crop losses and
their reduction. Packaging. Quality and safety of fresh horticultural products. Minimal Processing of
horticultural products.
Processing of fruits, vegetables, milk, egg, meat, poultry and seafood products.
AGRI 2042Y(3) - AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
Crop improvement through the application of new techniques. Tissue culture. Genetic improvement
of crops by introduction of new genes: their evaluation and potential risks. Managing plant and animal
diseases: use of molecular methods of pathogen diagnosis, characterization and monitoring.
Transgenic animals. Animal Embryo transfer and associated techniques. Cloning Vaccine
development. Legislative framework. Marker Selection Techniques in Animal breeding.
AGRI 3000(5) - PROJECT
This is a very important component of the programme, allowing students to develop high level skills
and cognitive abilities. Every student will be allocated a research topic and the research work will be
carried out under supervision. Students should demonstrate good practice in using skills and
knowledge acquired and follow guidelines as laid down.
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