BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY (BDU)
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE &
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
1. BAHIRDAR UNIVERSITY: VISSION & MISSION
VISION OF BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY
To become one of the ten premier research universities in
Africa in 2025 recognized for its quality education,
research and outreach activities.
MISSION OF BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY
Contact Address:
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
P.O. Box: 79
Tel: +251 58 220 36 64
Fax: +251 58 220 06 02
Bahir Dar University
Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Dean: Belayneh Ayele (PhD)
Tel: +251918746517 (mobile)
E-mail: belaynehayele47@gmail.com
Vice Dean: Hailu Mazengia (DVM, MSc)
Tel: +251918784647 (mobile)
E-mail: hailumakida@yahoo.com
Coordinator, Postgraduate Program, Research &
Community Services: Mussie Hailemelekot (DVM, MSc
Tel: +251918700333 (mobile)
E-mail: musiehailu@yahoo.com
Program Manager: Misganaw Teshager (MSc)
Tel: +251934376832(mobile)
E-mail: tmisganaw@yahoo.com
The mission of the Bahir Dar University is to contribute
substantially for social, cultural, economic, political,
scientific and technological development of the nation;
through the provision of high quality education, active
engagement in research and outreach activities for the
betterment of life, while offering our employees a
conducive and rewarding working environment that
values, recognizes and appreciates their contributions.
2. COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE &
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
The College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences of
Bahir Dar University was established in 2005 with a vision
of becoming a full-fledged center of excellence in
agriculture and environmental sciences engaging in
training, community service and research that would
address regional and national agricultural and
environmental
problems
without
compromising
international scientific standards.
The rationale for opening the college was that the region
where the college is located, Amhara National Regional
State, is known for its suitability to crop cultivation and
livestock farming, possession of the largest water bodies in
the country (Lake Tana and Blue Nile River), vast arable
land, diverse agro-ecology and huge plant and animal
genetic resources and yet the natural resources base are
being degraded in alarming rates. To mention only few of
the animal genetic resources the region has, the well
known indigenous cattle breed known as Fogera; the
famous indigenous sheep breed called Washera (Danglie)
and fast growing poultry type named as “Tilili chicken”
are some of them. Besides these, the area is also known for
availability of various types of aquatic resources (endemic
fishes and birds), diverse types of food crops such as teff,
rice, maize and finger millet. Because of the possession of
the aforementioned resources, the area was identified as
one of agricultural growth corridors of the country. On top
of that, the livelihood of the majority of the population in
the region is dependent on agriculture. Despite these huge
resource potentials of the region, the living standards of
the majority of population engaged in agriculture is far
below the average for Africa. This is mainly because of
traditional farming practices and lack of scientific
knowledge how to make use of available resources
systematically and in sustainable way. To this end, the
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences has
been opened to enable best use of the available resources
by applying improved farming practices, protecting the
environment and minimizing the incidences of disaster
risks.
Bearing this in mind, the programs opened under the
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences are not
duplications of programs in other universities in the
country, rather they are uniquely designed to fit the
missing gaps which have not been addressed so far.
VISION
The College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
strives to be a center of excellence in offering education,
conducting demand-driven and problem solving researches
and dissemination of knowledge in the field of agriculture
and environmental sciences.
MISSION
The mission of the college is to contribute substantially for
the sustainable development of the nation through
advancement in the agriculture economic sector taking
environmental conservation as priority by the provision of
high quality education, active engagement in research and
outreach activities for the betterment of life of the people
of Ethiopia.
OBJECTIVES OF THE COLLEGE
I.
To train qualified professionals in various disciplines
related to agriculture & environmental sciences so as
to raise the agricultural skill and knowledge base and
satisfy the trained manpower demand of the nation.
To carry out research focused on solving the
national agricultural and environmental problems so
as to contribute to increasing production and
productivity, protection and management of natural
resources and improving the livelihood of the
population by introducing adaptable and appropriate
agricultural technologies and management practices.
To provide advisory and consultancy services for
governmental and non-governmental organizations
concerned with environment, agriculture and natural
resources.
To develop knowledge and skills in improving the
productivity and livelihood of the country by
considering the nature and context of environmental
hazards such as drought, flooding, land sliding, pest
infestation and epidemics.
To enable students engage themselves in all aspects
of the disaster cycle of risk management including
the ability to coordinate and mainstream relevant
cross-cutting issues such as gender, age, disability,
poverty, HIV/AIDS and environmental issues in the
disaster risk reduction efforts.
To provide outreach services to the smallholder
farming communities, pastoralists, investors and
agro-pastoralists in the country.
3. PROGRAMS OF THE COLLEGE
The college currently provides undergraduate degree in
regular, extension, summer and distance programs with
duration of three, four, five and four years, respectively.
The college has also post-graduate studies in regular and
summer programs. Besides, the college is offering BSc
training to students from Benshangul Gumez Region and
MSc course for students from Somalia Region in Disaster
Risk Management and Sustainable Development
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
1. Animal Production and Technology
2. Disaster Risk Management and Sustainable
Development
3. Fisheries, Wetlands and Wildlife Management
4. Natural Resources Management
5. Plant Science
6. Rural Development
7. Water Resources and Irrigation Management
8. BSc in Agricultural Economics
9. BSc in Mid-Career Agricultural Extension
10. BVSc in veterinary Sceince
II.
POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
MSc in Agronomy
MSc in Plant Breeding
MSc in Plant Protection
MSc in Horticulture
MSc in Animal Genetics and Breeding
MSc in Animal Production
MSc in Apiculture
MSc in Disaster Risk Management and
Sustainable Development
9. MSc in Fisheries and Wetlands Management
10. MSc in Land Resources Management
11. PhD in Agronomy
c) Fisheries management and aquaculture
d) Disaster risk reduction
5. LINKS
The college has established links with the following
institutions to undertake the education and research
activities:












6.
III.
PROGRAMS TO BE LAUNCHED SOON
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
PhD in Fisheries (curriculum approved by the
senate)
PhD in Plant Breeding
PhD in Soil Science
MSc in Tropical Feeds and Animal Nutrition
BSc in Environmental Science
4. THE RESEARCH THEMATIC AREA
The college has identified four major thematic research
areas:
a) Food security and livelihood
b) Natural resource management
2
The University of Arizona (US),
University of Jaume I (Spain),
World Agro-forestry Centre,
SASAKAWA Africa Fund for Extension
Education
DCG of Norway,
ICRI,
IWMI/ILRI
VLIR-Belgium and Ghent University,
Wageningen International, the Netherlands,
University of Cape Town, South Africa,
NCCR-North-South Switzerland and;
Local institutions such as Amhara Region
Agriculture Research Institute (ARARI), Amhara
Region Bureau of Agriculture, Rural Capacity
Building Project (RCBP) of the Ministry of
Agriculture and more others.
FUTURE STRATEGIC PLAN
In the near future, in line with the strategic plan of the
university, the college plans to open more master and PhD
programs and to involve primarily in research activities
and community services. To this end the college, in its new
campus, is determined to put in place research
infrastructures such as modern laboratories, digital library,
ICT, farms and demonstration sites.