Head of Department: Adugna Haile
B.Sc. & M.Sc., Alemaya College of Agriculture, Ethiopia,
Ph.D., Agricultural University of Norway
Specialization: Integrated Pest Management
E-mail: ahf@caas.uoa.edu.er

Overview

The Department of Plant Sciences offers a B.Sc. degree and produces graduates who are qualified to improve crop production and to manage plant resources and ecosystems. Our graduates help those involved in agriculture with modern integrated crop protection techniques; they assess plant pests and diseases; help restore natural woodlands; and conduct forest research.

In the past years, forest resources in Eritrea have declined significantly due to several factors: land clearing for commercial and subsistence agriculture; overgrazing; increased consumption of wood for fuel; housing construction; drought; and war, which specifically had devastating effects on agricultural output and human resources.

The Department of Plant Sciences is playing a crucial role in solving some of these complex problems by providing trained human resources and conducting research.
Undergraduate students can major in one of four sub-specialties: Agronomy, Forestry, Horticulture, or Plant Protection. See course listings for details.

Employment Opportunities

There will be a high demand for skilled plant and forestry specialists for the foreseeable future as agriculture is an important sector of the Eritrean economy, accounting for about 20% of the GDP in recent years, with approximately 80% of the population earning their living from farming.
In addition, the current expansion of Agricultural Development Projects aimed at modernizing agricultural practices in Eritrea has created an increased demand for specialists trained in such disciplines as Agronomy, Plant Protection, Horticulture, and Forestry.

Potential employers include both the Ministry of Agriculture and International Non-Government Organizations (NGOs).

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