Background of Bedele College of Agriculture and Forestry

Mettu University Bedele College of Agriculture and Forestry’s foundation stone was laid by the former Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Dessalegn and the former Oromia Regional State President Mukitar Kedir on May 20/2015 at the former Dabena TVET College which is far  about 10Km to the South West of  Bedele town. The college is located in the ever green area which is endowed with natural resources. The college started its work having 207 students in four departments with 20 academic and 140 Administrative staffs. Currently, the college intake capacity is 1244 with its 122 academic and 326 administrative staffs.

The college is working alleviate poverty and bring about rapid and sustainable development in the county.

Currently, Bedele College of Agriculture and Forestry has seven departments and one post graduate program in Soil Science.

The departments are:-

  1. Department of Agribusiness and Value Chain Management
  2. Department of Agricultural Economics  
  3. Department of Animal Science
  4. Department of Ecotourism and Biodiversity
  5. Department of Forestry
  6. Department of
  7. Department of Plant Science  
  1. Department of Plant Science
Background of the Department

Plant science is one of the departments in Bedele College of Agriculture and Forestry which was opened in 2015. Currently, the department is continuing teaching and learning process having 98 students of which 52 female students.

Objectives of the Department

The  ultimate  aim  of  the  program  is  to  improve  crop  production  and  productivity  and  ensure sustainable use of natural resources in the country, thereby contributing to improvement of the livelihood  of  the  nation.  Such  a  program  seeks  to  produce  competent  professionals  who  are equipped with both academic and practical knowledge and skills in managing all phases of the crop  production  and  management;  and  conducting  various  research  and  extension  activities which  can  contribute  to  the  development  of  the  country  and  ensuring  food  security  and  self- sufficiency.

Objectives of the program:

  • To  produce  adequate  and  well  trained  manpower  that  will  regionally,  nationally  and internationally  contribute  to  generation,  dissemination  and  adoption  of  improved  plant production and protection technologies;
  • To  provide  students  with  basic  and  applied  knowledge  of  natural  resources  (soils, agricultural waters and forestry); and field, horticultural and industrial crops production and protection;
  • To enable the students understand and comprehend problems in crop production and seek solutions through exposure to research, extension and management;
  • To  enable  the  students  gain  the  skill  and  knowledge  of  proper  management  and conservation of natural resources and protecting the environment;
  • To provide the students with the knowledge of handling plants and their products;
  • To  integrate  training-research-extension  to  increase  the  efficiency  of  plant  technology generation,  dissemination  and  adoption  by  end-users  and,  thereby,  contribute  to  the intended regional and national development;
  • To enable students to conduct relevant research in plant science in problems that affect the region and the nations; and
  • To provide professional services to the community and policy makers at large.
Future prospective

The department of plant science has great opportunities which make hopeful future prospects. For instance the resource of the country and the area where the college inaugurated is one of the inspiring conditions to work hard in the field of plant science. To conserve and exploit the existing natural resource in the country in general and in this area in particular it needs educated or skill man power in this field of specialization. Thus the department has to produce large number competent, effective, efficient man power for the country. On the top of this the department ought to give short and long term training for the local community for maximize use of resource and managing it. In the future the department will also upgrade its level progressively from Bachelor degree to Master Degree in this field of study to produce advanced professional graduate whose conduct problem solving researches and community service. 

 Opportunities of the Department

Buno Bedele zone is one of the zones in the regional states, in the southwestern part of Ethiopia. It has a great potential for agriculture. Even the abundant resource and vegetation of the area still low level of utilization and productivity. The Zone has a large area of fertile land, a natural forest that is suitable for both staple and high value crop production and also significant potential for irrigation. In addition, the Zone has suitable agro-ecology and adequate rainfall to improve crop production and productivity.

The physical landscape of the zone is quite varied and shares common land features with southern regions with different elevations. The physical conditions and variations in altitudes have resulted in a great diversity of climate, soil and vegetation which in turn caused the evolution of different plant species with large diversity. Because of the above facts and others Agriculture College in general, Plant Science Department in particular has unlimited opportunity in this every green area.

Achievements / Current Activities of the Department

Even though, it tough to talk about the achievement of the college or department within one year life time; currently, there are indications to meet the goal of the college. For instance, in department of plant science there is great inspiration to conduct problem solving research and community service. Last year (20016/17) one research was conducted. In this year two research works are ongoing. In addition to this, the learning and teaching process is going on the right track even though there is lack of facilities in the department. Besides to this, everybody or workers interested in his/her duty and the work situation is also good.

2. Department of Forestry 

Background

Department profile

Forestry department was opened in 2008 E.C/2015/2016G.C under Mettu University Bedele College of Agriculture and Forestry. Now the department is on duty having 46 second and 51 first year regular students by having 6 instructors and 1 laboratory assistant. The department will deliver 44 courses in 112 credit hours.

Objectives of the department

The main objectives of the department are:

  • To provide high quality and relevant professional level education in forestry and related fields to address the manpower needs of the Country.
  • To conduct basic and applied research in forestry and related fields, paying special attention to the problem of the country
  • To disseminate research findings to users through extension programs to relevant institutions and individuals.
Future prospective

The department need to work to identify, prioritize and analyze problems related to Forestry and related resources; manage and utilize Natural Forests and Woodlands that better contribute for the increased income from timber and non-timber forest products; disseminate existing and new applicable knowledge and technologies in forestry; work in multidisciplinary environment to solve complex problems of the communities, carry out the planning and management of plantation forests; carry out guided research in his/her professional field of study and so on.

Therefore, the department needs to upgrade its level gradually from BSc to the MSc level in order to provide high quality and relevant professional level education (those conduct research, improve teaching–learning quantity & quality, and disseminate the new finding to the community) in forestry and forest related field of study to address the manpower needs of the country.  

Opportunities

One of the main opportunity for the department is that the department was established in conducive environmental condition area with full of natural resources. This indicates that the program easily produced skilled manpower those effectively contributed on the management and sustainable utilization of renewable and non-renewable resources. Of these renewable resources, forest resource is the major considered resources, on which the department emphasized to sustainably manage, utilize and conserve it effectively and efficiently.

On the other hand, the department student’s have a great chance to easily demonstrate and practically work on what they have been learnt in the class room without the long journey which expose the university for an expected costs specifically concerning to the forest resources.  

Department achievement and facilities

The department was established to accomplish three major activities (i.e. teaching-learning activities, community service and carryout problem solving research work). The department was began leaching-learning processes on December 04/2008E.C having 47 students in one section and two instructors.  They developed the research proposal and defended in order to go ahead problem solving finding. Accordingly, the department conducted community problem solving research

3. Department of Agricultural Economics

Background of the Department

Department Profile

Students admitted directly from secondary school are required to meet the national higher education enrolment criteria of that year.  Then three academic year is required to acquire a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Agricultural Economics. Each academic year further divided into two semesters. Since the program comprises of different modules, modes of delivery will be in block and semester wise. As long as the curriculum is prepared in a student-centered way, the method of teaching will be greatly an active learning (student centered).

  Department Objectives

The overall goal of the B.Sc. degree program is to produce competent, skilled and committed agricultural economics professionals capable of bringing change in the agricultural economy.

The specific objectives of this academic program are to:

  • Produce knowledgeable graduates in the field of Agricultural Economics who can assist efficient and sustainable use of the societies’ scarce resources;
  • Produce committed, motivated, socially accountable and qualified Agricultural Economists who undertake problem-solving socio-economic researches in the field;
  • Engage in community services, and
  • Provide consultancy and advisory services governmental and/or non-governmental organizations

Future Prospect of the Department

To full-fill, the labor market demand the department equips students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes in agricultural economics. These create competent, efficient and committed professionals in problem solving and in producing new knowledge. Through long process, the department has influential scholars in national and international issues and affairs. To improve the standard, level and quantity of the graduates the department has a prospect to increase the numbers of the student in 50%, and in the long run to enhance the level and the standard of the professionals. 

Opportunities of the department

Due to globalization and the rising of food price, individuals in the world now are opting for food and fiber from countries having comparative advantage of production.

To make use of this opportunity the country has to be competent in the global market by producing competent human resource in the areas of optimizing scarce resource use, planning profitable projects, which accelerate the pace of economic growth. Hence, producing capable, competent graduates in the field of Agricultural Economics is an instrument to gain the benefit from international, regional and sub regional markets.

To enhance agricultural development through effective mobilization of the potential resources of the nation, the role of trained human resource in various disciplines including Agricultural Economics is crucial. The productivity of the peasant sub-sector has to be improved along with the development of agricultural enterprises, the inter sectoral linkages should be enhanced and the sustainability of the economic development of the country should be ensured through effective economic management. To do all these, graduates of Agricultural economics are mandatory. Thus some of the opportunities of the department are the following

  • Professionals are highly needed in national and international labor market
  • Students have a great desire to be Agricultural economist
  • The department is necessary to solve the rural and urban societal problems`

4. Departement of Agribusiness And Value Chain Management

Background and Justification of the Departement

The Agribusiness and Value Chain Management courses offered in Mettu University Bedele College of agriculture and forestry provide students with broad training in business and value chain management and create knowledge and skills that form the professional base of the personnel working in agribusiness commercialization.

Therefore, the decision to launch the program in Mettu University Bedele College of agriculture and Forestry was based on:

  • The high demand for these professionals and the limited supply from local sources,
  • The potential candidates’ preference to enrol in the program,
  • The availability of several departments in the universities to give the necessary manpower and material supports necessary to run the program and to maintain the multi-disciplinary nature of the program and create team spirit in the trainees,
  • The existence of agricultural enterprises at reasonable distance to attach the trainees to the practical world.

General Objectives of the Program

The overall goal of the Agribusiness and value chain management degree programme is to create competent, highly skilled and committed agribusiness and value chain professionals capable of bringing difference in commercialization of the countries agriculture.

FUTURE PROSPECTS OF THE DEPARTEMENT

Agribusiness courses need to be reflective of industry interests. Graduates in this field find employment in agribusiness firms, NGOs, governments, research and consulting firms as well as academia.

  • This will be done by cultivating linkages with agribusiness and recognizing the qualities that agribusiness requires in graduates.
  • Linkages of academic program to actual agribusiness firms are useful for developing program that not only suit current needs of firms but equip and train students for tasks that may not be present today;
  • Providing practical training opportunities and industrial experience; and developing soft skills in students that may be difficult or impossible to acquire in classroom environments.
  • Developing distance education to work more effectively, if the issues of information and communication technologies need to be addressed within academic institutions and centers of learning.
OPPORTUNITY OF AGRIBUSINESS AND VALUE CHAIN MANAGEMENT
  • Regional harmonization of policies
  • Several NGOs have stepped into the realm of agribusiness training by offering adapted training courses
  • Preferential trade agreements, trade  Policy to develop this program
  • Growing population increasing market
  • Rapid urbanization
  • Gender increasing role of men in farming, women’s right
Quality Assurance

In order to assure quality for the program, measures will be taken as per the universities’ quality assurance policy. Besides, Agribusiness and Value Chain Management program will make use of the following measures for evaluating and monitoring the quality of the teaching learning process.

5. Department of Animal Science

Back Ground

Department of Animal Science is one of the department’s lunched in year 2008 E.C with other three departments when Mettu University Bedele College of Agriculture and forestry has started the actual work, while Animal Science department has started teaching fifty freshman students in the same year by four instructors’ and one technical assistance. In line with this, in the same year one research and one community service work have done under the department. Currently, department of Animal Science  has been offering quality education to the freshman 2009 E.C entry as well as second year students. Moreover, the department has been doing two problem solving research work and two community service in present year.

  Objective of the department

The department is intended at producing competent and self-employed professionals in the field of animal sciences for the country. In addition to that, it cultivate research oriented and competent professionals for research center, Universities, Colleges, ministry of agriculture and non-governmental sectors both in quality and quantity.

Opportunities

The following things are the opportunity which is there under the department

  • There are good options for running problem solving research work to the community
  • Presence of the project under university will be one of the best opportunities for the department to improve the product and productivity of livestock of the community by employing short to long term project work
  • The presence of community service program in the university will help to fulfill the  gap which is there in the community level regarding to the livestock production.

Future Prospective

The future prospective of the department is to produce well skilled and qualified professionals to the country for keeping sustainable development and doing different researches that will solve the farmer’s problem regarding to the livestock production and productivity. Moreover, the department will collaborate with many universities and research centers both within and outside of the county to adopt new technology on farmer level for improving the product and productivity of livestock both within Ilu Aba Bor and Buno Bedele Zone as well as whole country.

     Animal Science Department staff profile

Animal Science department generally consists of seven instructors and two senior technical assistant to deliver the courses which should be given by animal science staff member.

human power to deliver or achieve the objective of the department.

Current activities

Currently the department has given the following activities

  1. Teaching first and second year Animal Science department students as well as delivering the courses to other departments within the college
  2. Doing problem solving research work regarding to livestock production and health
  3. Offering community service of the farmer in the form of training regarding to dairy and beef cattle production