About us
MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD
Historical brief: The department of agriculture at Kyambogo University was established following recommendations by the Castle Commission of 1963. The Ministry of Education directed that the former National Teachers College, Kyambogo starts courses in agriculture for training teachers. In 1967, the second World Bank/IDA Education project supported agriculture education by expanding secondary education through providing facilities for teaching agriculture and other vocational subjects such as wood work and metal work along with technical drawing. In March 1972, the course started with 9 Assistant Agricultural Officers recruited and seconded to the Ministry of Education from the Ministry of Agriculture for a one-year certificate course in methodology of teaching agriculture in secondary schools. Mr. D.J. Wood who was Inspector of Schools (Agriculture), Ministry of Education and Principal of Wairaka Farm School. Ipso facto, Mr. D.J. Wood became the first Head of Agriculture at National Teachers’ College (NTC), Kyambogo. The late Mr. Joseph M. Kateeba, a graduate of Agricultural Engineering, was transferred from Arapai Agricultural College to NTC, Kyambogo and appointed Head of Department from 1973 to March 1974. Mr. William Faustine Epeju (now Associate Professor) joined the Department as a Teaching Assistant in July 1973 and took charge as HOD 1974-1976, 1982-86. He later continued to serve in different capacities in Top Administration at Kyambogo.
In 1986, the Institute of Teacher Education, Kyambogo (ITEK) was created. Government’s emphasis on vocational education led to the establishment of the Faculty of Vocational Education at ITEK. Mr Habib Kato (now Associate Professor), an animal scientist served as Dean of the Faculty of Vocational studies from 1986 (ITEK) to 2009 (Kyambogo University). The main focus was to train teachers of vocational subjects, increase awareness of technological change and innovations, cultivate the love and respect for work as well as education for work among teachers. The department of Agriculture together with Art and Design, Business Education, Home Economics and Technical Education comprised the departments under the faculty. Accordingly, Bachelor of Education degree was launched with Agriculture as a double main teaching subject. Mr. Obwol Tom Ametto, who joined the Department in July 1984, later took over as HOD through ITEK times and into the transition to Kyambogo University.
Mandate: The Department of Agriculture strives to contribute to the agricultural sector by providing training that will enhance job creation and sustainable livelihoods in Uganda and the region. This is driven by our main objective of producing competent and committed graduates who can cause change in agricultural and natural resources fields. The strategic focus is to increase vocational agriculture in higher education training. We have periodically reviewed our programs in an effort to realign the training, research and community activities to respond to the national, regional and global trends and challenges. The department is committed to providing agricultural training and education with strong vocational orientation. A Bachelor of Vocational Studies in Agriculture with Education degree was launched in 2001 where many of our graduates have since progressed in different sectors in society and academia. In 2014, the Department launched four Master’s Programs, these were; Agriculture Education & Extension, Animal Production, Crop Science and Soil Science.
About Us: The Department has strong multi-disciplinary academic staff with specialization in fields like; Agricultural Extension & Education, Agricultural Economics, Crop Protection, Horticulture, Plant Breeding, Soil Sciences, Animal Production, Feeds & Animal Nutrition, Natural Resource Management. In addition, the Department carries out on-station work at the farmland at Kyambogo hill (Dairy, Poultry, Piggery, Horticulture) Nakagere and Namasiga (Beef, Crop, Agroforestry). The following members of staff have served as Head of Department (HOD) and have steered the department to its current status. Associate Professor William Faustine Epeju, 1974-1976, 1982-86; Mr. Obwol Tom Ametto, 1993-2009; Associate Professor Bua Bosco, 2009 – 2012; Dr. Robert Mulebeke, 2012- to date.
Key Contacts: Mulebeke Robert (Ph.D), Head of Department
Telephone: +256-772-517024
Email: agriculture@kyu.ac.ug