Faculty of Agriculture

Introduction

The Faculty of Agriculture, originally founded as the School of Agriculture in 1914, plays a vital role in providing trained human resources for the public and private sectors in Mauritius as well as in the region for the development of agriculture and related fields. It is a continuing challenge to produce high calibre graduates to meet the changing needs of the agricultural sector for this millennium. The standard and quality of our degrees are maintained to an internationally accepted level by a system of moderation by external examiners.

Mission Statement

"Training human resources and fostering intellectual development & research in the agricultural and food sectors"

The Mission of the Faculty is to provide training at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in all areas of agriculture, horticulture including forestry, food science and biotechnology, through quality teaching, research and consultancy services consistent with national agricultural goals and policies.

Objectives

• Initiate, expand, diversify and upgrade training and research in priority areas of agriculture and food science so as to respond to the career aspirations of potential students and the requirements of the job market
• Carry out research and outreach in the exploration and modernisation of agriculture and agriculture-related markets.
• Enhance links with industries and overseas institutions for teaching, research, consultancy and outreach activities.
• Provide postgraduate training and research programmes for the professional development of graduates;
• Provide in-service training to staff of institutions in the agricultural and agro-industrial sectors.
• Develop and offer specialised short training programmes in line with the evolution in agricultural and food sectors

Structure of the Faculty

The Faculty of Agriculture consists of around 100 members of staff, administrative staff, farm & campus grounds unit staff, academics and technical staff grouped into two departments, namely Agricultural Production & Systems and Agricultural & Food Science,

Agriculture being a multidisciplinary field, the Faculty has expertise in a wide range of agricultural and related areas including plant, soil, animal and food sciences, plant and animal production, agricultural biotechnology, extension and agricultural management.

Facilities

The Faculty has well equipped analytical laboratories certified by the Board of Agricultural Chemists of the Republic of Mauritius, for teaching and research. It also has a fully equipped computer laboratory. All computers are connected to the University network and to the Internet giving access to electronic mail and the World Wide Web. The Faculty also has a 21-acre farm, including a nursery, a greenhouse, a crop museum, plant and animal laboratories, and an animal production unit, for hands-on practical training and for student and staff research. The Farm provides various support services including the maintenance of the campus grounds.

Programme of Studies

• Objectives

Our programmes of studies promote intellectual (critical reasoning, understanding, problem solving), practical (research skills and methods) and personal (communication, planning and organisational abilities) skills to equip students for careers in research, extension, teaching, administration and enterprise.

• Undergraduate Programmes

The Faculty offers a range of undergraduate programmes, which aim at providing a broad-based agricultural education to meet the constantly changing needs of the agricultural sector. All programmes at the Faculty are now fully modularised and creditised which provides flexibility for students to progress at their own pace suited to their learning abilities, and also allows a continuous evaluation of the student’s performance. Apart from the taught modules, the programmes aim at developing student's interpersonal/transferable skills through specialised modules in communication skills and information technology.

• Postgraduate Programmes

The Faculty offers taught Masters programmes, and MPhil and PhD degrees by research.

• In Service Programmes /Training Courses

The Faculty also runs short tailor made in-service and refresher trainer courses as well as programmes at Certificate, Diploma, Degree and Post Graduate levels, at the request of specific stakeholders.