plant Sciences

Introduction of Plant Science

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. It 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 (GDP). 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
National Agricultural Sciences and Technology University
(ANASTU) in 2013.
The plant science faculty was established on January 9,
2013, mandated under the 372/365 volume number and
included in the academic formation of ANASTU. The
Plant Science 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, Biotechnology, Agriculture Engineering, Forestand Natural Resources, and Plant Genetics and Plant
Breeding. To promote postgraduate studies, Plant Science
faculty enrolled 21 students in February 2014 for master
degree program as a 1 th batch in the field of agronomy were
successfully graduated in 2016 under a joint degree
program between ANASTU and the Indian Agriculture
Research Institute (IARI). promoting postgraduate
program, department of Agronomy enrolled 19 students as
the 2 nd batch, 20 students as the 3 rd batch in the field of
Agronomy, and were successfully graduated. Recently, 10
master students from the 4 th 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 inthe 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 academic council registration notepad
(Protocol #. 11–4/12/1399).
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 Science has
46 lecturers/professors, 10 students in postgraduate
programs, and 155 male students in various departments of
undergraduate programs.