BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HORTICULTURE Program Offered at University of Nairobi

Horticulture is currently one of the fastest growing industries in Kenya and is the country’s highest foreign exchange earner. Among horticultural crops, vegetables, fruit crops, and cut flowers have the highest value: volume ratio making them the export crops of choice. The horticultural sub sector offers an

alternative for increased food self-sufficiency, food security, improved nutrition and generation of increased incomes and employment. Despite this phenomenal growth, horticulture is a highly specialized field requiring well-trained personnel to cover areas of production, handling, storage, value adding, marketing and distribution.

The broad objective of this programme is to effectively not only equip students with managerial and technical skills but also hands on ability to adequately serve the Horticulture industry in Kenya through propagation, husbandry, research, extension, marketing and entrepreneurship. On completion of

the horticultural program graduates will be able to:

i) Perceive and appreciate the importance of horticultural crops in the national economy.

ii) Contribute to improvement of production and enhance marketing of horticultural products.

iii) Contribute to public awareness of aesthetic value of ornamental plants.

iv) Contribute to setting up and running of private horticultural enterprises.

1.      Holders of KCSE with mean grade of C+ with passes at C or above in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics or Geography, and any one of the following; English, Kiswahili, Physics (if not included above), History and Government, Geography (if not included above), Christian Religious Education, Islamic Religious Education, Hindu Religious Education, Home Science, Art and Design, Agriculture, Aviation Technology, Computer Science, French, Germany, Arabic, Music, Business Studies.

2.      Holders of K.A.C.E. or equivalent with minimum 2 principal passes in Biology and Chemistry and at least a subsidiary pass in Mathematics. If Mathematics was not offered at K.A.C.E, then it is accepted at Ordinary Level but with a minimum of a credit pass.

3.      Holders of a Diploma in Biological Sciences or related sciences from a recognized institution with credit or distinction, with KCSE mean grade of C or above.

4.      Holders of a degree in biological sciences or related sciences from a recognized University

Year 1:

Semester 1

Mathematics

Communication Skills

Agricultural Botany

Chemistry for Agri. Sciences

Biochemistry

Land Forms & Soil Formation

Semester II

Microeconomics

Plant and Crop Physiology

Microbiology

Principles of Genetics

Human Immuno-deficiency Virus/Aquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS)

ICT and Computers

Principles of Soil Chemistry

Year 2:

Semester1

Statistics I

Principles of Plant Pathology and Disease control

Principles of Crop

Production

Structures and Materials

Sociology & Development

Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry

Power Systems and Machinery for Agriculture

Agricultural Entomology

Semester II

Nursery Management

Principles of Weed Science

Greenhouse Production & Protected Environment

Beverages, Medicinal and Nut crops

Macroeconomics

Plant Propagation

Year 3

Semester 1

Plant breeding I. Principles of Plant Breeding

Vegetable Production 1:

Temperate Vegetables

Statistics II

Herbs and Spices

Floriculture 1

Horticultural Seed Tech.

 Firm Accounts & Planning

Application of RS & GIS in Land Use & Management

Semester II

Environmental Mgt

Crop Pests and their Mgt.

 Irrigation & Water Mgt.

 Agriculture Policy & Law

Soil Fertility & Fertilizer Use

Landscape Design, Constr and Maintenance

Production Economics & Firm Management

Semester III

Hort. Field Attachment 0 8wk 8wks

Year 4

Semester 1

Field and Laboratory Experimentation

Biotechnology

Agric. Extension and Technology Transfer

Intro. to Molecular Genetics

Special projects & Seminars

Student to choose either Elective A or B

A: Fruit Production 1. Temperate Fruits

Pot Plants, Flower

Arrangement and Consumption

Semester II

Postharvest Physiology and Technology

Agricultural Marketing and International Agri. Trade

Diagnostic Studies of

Plant Diseases

Micro Enterprise Development and Mgt.

 Special Projects & Seminars

Plant Breeding II. Plant

Breeding Methods and Applications

Student to choose either Elective A or B

Fruit Production 2.

Tropical and Sub-Tropical fruits

Vegetable Production 2. Indigenous and Unique

Floriculture

Turf Management

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