Soil is vital for the existence of many forms of life that have evolved on our planet. It plays a crucial role in economical, industrial and agricultural development, and ultimately food security and safety for the growing world population and essential ecosystem functions. It is, therefore, important to train highly skilled and talented soil scientists who understand the soil ecosystem and can conduct research from both agricultural and environmental viewpoints. The Department of Soil Science was established in 1998 in order to train skilled and specialized workforce in Soil Sciences programs. The mission of the Department is to advance the understanding of earth system processes and the interaction among land, atmosphere, and water, and to addresses the challenge of developing environmentally sustainable agricultural systems to produce food. Currently the SSE Department comprises of eleven scientific staff, over 80 B.Sc., 50 M.Sc. and 25 Ph.D. students from around the country, and technical and administrative support.
Undergraduate Programs (B.Sc.)
Undergraduate students are equipped with fundamental scientific knowledge of soils, but also practical experience and excursions. This includes learning how to classify soils in the field and compile a land suitability survey; how to sample soils and determine soil chemical, physical and biological properties in the field and laboratory; and how to interpret the results of the analysis and write up scientific reports and assays.
Postgraduate Programs (M.Sc. and Ph.D.)
This Department offers teaching, research and outreach in the major sub-disciplines of Soil Science:
- Soil Fertility Management and Biotechnology (Soil Biology and Biotechnology, Soil Chemistry and Fertility, Plant Nutrition)
- Soil Resources Management (Soil Resources and Land Evaluation, Soil Physics and Conservation)
Postgraduate students are trained to be able to formulate and conduct experiments, analyze and interpret data, and write-up research for publication in peer-reviewed publications.