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Introduction to the Faculty of Plant Sciences

Afghanistan contributes dominantly to the agricultural and livestock sectors and has favorable climatic conditions for the production of various valuable crop families in the southern zone. Kandahar is known as a host of different crops and a caster of production, including cereal, commercial fruits, and vegetables, and exports huge amounts of agricultural products to domestic and international markets. Although recently export commodity levels have been lower in Kandahar, pomegranate, grapes, fig, almond, cumin, and other products play a significant role in sustaining Afghani currency against foreign currencies. ir is worth mentioning that the agriculture sector in Afghanistan supports the livelihoods of nearly three-quarters of the total population and contributes nearly 28% to the Gross Domestic Product (GPD). thus, agriculture's growth is vital for driving the country's economy and ensuring food security. To further promote the agriculture and livestock sectors in Afghanistan, the government of Afghanistan established Afghanistan Agricultural Science and Technology University (ANASTU) in 2013.
The Plant Sciences Faculty was established on January 9, 2013, mandated under the 372/265 volume number and included in the academic formation of ANASTU. The Plant Sciences Faculty was officially authorized by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) to promote undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Eight departments, including Agronomy, Horticulture, Plant Protection, Plant Biotechnology, Agriculture Engineering, Forest and Natural Resources and Plant Genetics & Breeding. To promote postgraduate studies, Plant Science Faculty enrolled 21 students in February 2014 for Master's degree program as a 1st batch in the field of agronomy were successfully graduated in 2016 under a joint degree program between ANASTU and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). Promoting postgraduate program, department of Agronomy enrolled 19 Students as the 2nd batch, 20 students as the 3rd batch in the field of Agronomy and were successfully graduated. Recently, 10 Master students from the 4th batch of Agronomy are pursuing their studies and research at ANASTU.

In order to get official approval from the MoHE, the authorized responsibility has improved. The Department of Agronomy, Horticulture, and Plant Protection at postgraduate level in Faculty of Plant Science on May 3, 2018 (mandated under 372/365). In 2018, based on possibilities, by the order of MoHE, master students were enrolled in three departments of agriculture, horticulture, and plant protection at this university. So, 17 and 9 students in horticulture and plant protection were enlisted into master's program through the entrance exam, respectively. Some Lecturers of the faculty are engaged in higher education inside and outside the country in order to obtain Masters (M.Sc.) and doctorate degrees (Ph.D.) and to increase their educational capacity. Five and four lecturers have returned to their duties in different departments at the M.Sc. and Ph.D. levels respectively, and the chain is going on. Based on the possibilities during the year 2024, according to the faculty strategic plan and covenant with IARI University of India, new students will be enrolled in the mentioned departments.

A competent delegation from the Ministry of Higher Education visited ANASTU University, and based on strategy, all the academic staff and apparatuses of the agricultural faculty and research farm of Kandahar University were integrated and pooled with ANASTU within faculties of plant science, animal sciences, and agricultural economics and extension. All the professors and lecturers were settled in the relevant departments, according to the last academic certificate, with the help of the delegated response person, and the decision was noted down in ANASTU A\academic council registration notepad (Protocol#, 11-14/12/1399).

According to the 10-year plan of ANASTU University and the MoHE decision, including Indian University (IARI), the three major branches of the Kandahar Agricultural Faculty (Agronomy, Horticulture, and Plant Protection) combined with similar departments of the Plant Science Faculty. Additionally, five other departments (Soil Science and Irrigation, forestry and Natural Resources, Biotechnology, genetics and Plant Breeding, and Agricultural Engineering) have been established, and the process of activation has been completed. It is worth mentioning that currently the Faculty of Plant Sciences has 44 lecturers/professors, 31 students in postgraduate program, and 155 students in various departments of undergraduate programs.

 

Charter of the Faculty of Plant Science

 

Vision

The Faculty of Plant Sciences will serve as a major national center for training undergraduate and postgraduate academic cadres and capacities, with high quantity and quality, in the fields of plant production, plant breeding, and the modernization of traditional agricultural practices.

Mission

The Faculty of Plant Sciences strives, through its academic staff, to establish an advanced and technologically equipped academic, instructional, productive, research, and training environment, thereby contributing to the economic empowerment of the country’s farmers.

Objectives

• Training academic cadres at the levels of Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate.
• Expanding the quantity and quality of agricultural products.
• Introducing new technologies and modern agricultural methods nationwide, and achieving higher yields per unit of land.
• Conducting scientific research on local and improved plant varieties and promoting their positive outcomes.
• Establishing relations with national, regional, and international educational and research institutions to share scientific and research achievements.
• Training highly qualified academic cadres who remain faithful to Islamic values and Afghan culture, and who contribute to the development and advancement of the country’s agricultural sector.

Values

  1. Patriotism with a sacred and Islamic spirit.
  2. Standard and high-quality higher education.
  3. Enrichment of research.
  4. Sound administration and effective leadership.
  5. Establishment of academic freedom.
  6. Accountability.
  7. Transparency in work and prevention of corruption.
  8. Avoidance of all forms of discrimination.

Departments of Plant Sciences

The Faculty of Plant Sciences is constructed from Eight Branches as below:

  1. Agronomy Department
  2. Horticulture Department
  3. Plant Protection Department
  4. Soil Science Department
  5. Biotechnology Department
  6. Agricultural Engineering Department
  7. Genetics and Plant Breeding Department
  8. Forestry and Natural Resources Department

Respectfully

As stated above, the vision, mission, objectives, and values of the Faculty of Plant Sciences have been revised and organized in three languages (Pashto, Dari, and English) in a new format. For renewal, they were approved in the Strategic Plan of Plant Sciences on (3) 02/08/1404, in the meeting of the Faculty Academic Council on (8) 24/08/1404, and in the meeting of the University Academic Council on (8) 17/09/1404.


Dean of the Faculty of Plant Sciences
Prof. Nasir Ahmad "Nasrat"