An Overview of Department of Horticulture
The Department of Horticulture at Wolkite University is an academic unit under the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources that is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of horticultural crop production. The department focuses on the cultivation, improvement, post-harvest handling, and marketing of fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, medicinal plants, and spices.
With a growing national and global demand for diversified and high-value crops, the department is committed to producing skilled horticulturists who can contribute to food security, nutrition, income generation, and environmental sustainability. It offers high-quality education, engages in practical and market-oriented research, and provides community-based services to improve horticultural productivity and value chains in Ethiopia.
Objectives/Goals
- Train Competent Horticulture Professionals: Equip students with scientific knowledge, practical skills, and entrepreneurial capacity in fruit and vegetable production, floriculture, nursery management, and protected cultivation.
- Promote Sustainable Horticultural Development: Contribute to improved productivity, resource use efficiency, and sustainability in horticulture through modern practices and climate-smart technologies.
- Enhance Food and Nutritional Security: Support national goals of nutrition and health by promoting the production and consumption of nutrient-rich horticultural crops.
- Advance Research and Innovation: Conduct problem-solving and adaptive research in crop breeding, post-harvest management, pest and disease control, and irrigation techniques.
- Strengthen Horticultural Value Chains: Facilitate linkages between production, processing, storage, and marketing to improve income and employment opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs.
- Support Community and Industry Engagement: Provide technical support and training to smallholder farmers, cooperatives, and agro-enterprises through outreach and extension services.
Duties and Responsibilities
Academic Activities
- Develop and deliver undergraduate courses in areas such as vegetable science, pomology, floriculture, plant propagation, greenhouse technology, and post-harvest management.
- Guide students in research projects, internships, and practical training at university demonstration farms and external sites.
- Continuously revise and update the curriculum in response to emerging needs and scientific advancements.
Research and Development
- Conduct research in crop variety improvement, integrated pest management, irrigation systems, and post-harvest technologies.
- Publish findings in academic journals and use them to inform teaching and extension activities.
Extension and Community Services
- Train local farmers and horticulture professionals on modern cultivation techniques, value addition, and agribusiness development.
- Support the establishment and management of community nurseries, gardens, and protected cultivation systems (e.g., greenhouses).
Capacity Building
- Organize seminars, short courses, and field demonstrations for students, agricultural officers, and horticulture entrepreneurs.
- Develop training manuals, brochures, and practical guides in local languages.
Collaboration and Institutional Engagement
- Partner with research institutions, NGOs, government bodies, and private sector actors in horticulture-related programs and value chains.
- Contribute to the university’s strategic planning, quality assurance, and interdisciplinary initiatives.
Resource Management
- Oversee the management and effective utilization of departmental facilities, including demonstration plots, nurseries, and laboratories.
- Support the establishment of model horticulture farms and income-generating projects.