Horticulture

Chairperson:
Dr Praxedis Dube

Overview
Horticulture is the agricultural science discipline that deals with the study of vegetables, flowers, landscape architecture and crops like spices and other plantation crops and their processing and marketing. The discipline is concerned with cultivating plants for human consumption, but also for medical purposes or simply for aesthetic pleasure. Horticulture also combines science and technology with art and design principles. It is divided into five main branches: pomology, viticulture, olericulture, oenology and ornamental (floriculture and landscape architecture). Horticulture is a fast-growing and major subsector of the agricultural industry in Zimbabwe. Its contribution towards both small-scale and large-scale farm incomes, employment, foreign exchange earnings and food production security cannot be overemphasized. The major goal of the Bachelor of Science in Horticulture is to prepare the graduates to meet challenges faced by the horticultural industry in realizing its full potential. Their work involves plant propagation and cultivation with the aim of improving plant growth, yields, quality, nutritional value, and resistance to insects, diseases, and environmental stresses.

Mission
The Department of Horticulture encompasses generation and dissemination of scientific
knowledge to practical problems to aid horticultural industries and allied endeavors. This includes making discoveries in the plant sciences; promoting the use of plants and plant products for improved human health and a safe environment; improving the characteristics, quality and availability of horticultural products; and strengthening the world’s horticultural industries.

Vision
Horticulture is a dynamic department, recognized internally and externally as a valuable and relevant resource in the plant sciences for students, producers, and the general public. We aim to advance and share the science of production and management of fruit, vegetable, and ornamental plants and their use in communities to improve social, environmental, and economic sustainability.  Innovative basic, applied and cross disciplinary research will help solve environmental and economic problems.