Message From the Dean

Dr. Alfred Mariga (PhD) (Dean School of Agriculture and Food Science)

Office location: Tuition Block C

Email: deansafs@must.ac.ke

Tel: Extn. 143

More About Dr. Alfred Mariga

Food is an essential commodity for all people everywhere in the world. Indeed, Food security is said to exist when all people, at all times, have physical,social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Food security has a direct role in social, economic and political stability of the Country and region and the entire globe. The Government of Kenya along with the Food and Agricultural Organization’s vision is “a Kenya free from hunger and malnutrition, where food and agriculture help to improve the living standards of all, especially the poorest, in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner”.  To achieve this vision, the School of Agriculture and Food Science at the Meru University of Science and Technology (MUST) is committed to produce well-trained agricultural professionals who are able to operate at all levels of the agricultural value chains anywhere in the world.

The School of Agriculture and Food Sciences (SAFs) at MUST opened its doors to the first batch of students in the year 2010.  It started with only two programmes, a Diploma in Agriculture and a Certificate in Agriculture. Degree programmes followed soon after, in 2011. At present, the school has grown to three Departments: the Department of Agriculture, the Department Food Science and the Department of Animal Science. In addition, our Marimba Learning Centre offers specialized training in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes.

Our Programmes are accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and the relevant professional bodies such as the Kenya Veterinary Board (KVB) which regulates the Animal Health and Production programmes at BSc, Degree, Diploma and Certificate levels.

The School offers part-time and weekend mode programmes which aims to provide opportunity for advancement for people who are already employed. The upgrading Diploma in Animal Health and Production, for which the first cohort of students are graduating today, falls under this category.

The Commission for University  Education has accredited all the  programmes offered in the school.

The training of frontline agricultural extension workers is key to development aspirations of the National and County Governments. Our Marimba Learning Centre is accredited by the Technical Vocation Education and Training Authority (TVETA) to offer TVET Diploma programmes which will greatly expand the training opportunities available at the Centre.

The programmes offered by SAFs are practical oriented. In order to enhance the hands-on approach to teaching of practical classes, the school has state of the art Laboratories and equipment and demo farms. Our School has, in addition, good understanding with key industry players through mutually beneficial Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) in order to ensure that our students get the best practical training available. This is achieved through class academic trips and well organized internal and external industrial attachment programmes.

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