Horticulture is the science and art that deals with the propagation, cultivation, processing and marketing of vegetables, fruits and ornamental plants. Horticulture is broadly categorised into Olericulture, Pomology, Floriculture and Landscape Horticulture. Olericulture is concerned with the production, storage, processing and marketing of vegetables. Pomology deals with the science and practice of fruit production whereas Floriculture deals with the cultivation and management of flowering plants, foliage plants and cut flowers.

Family and Consumer Science (FCOS) is concerned with the improvement of the quality of life of the family as a consumer of goods and services in the global environment. The discipline is an amalgam of natural and social sciences and the Arts. FCOS examines the social, economic and cultural context in which families and individuals live and their likely effect on either creating opportunities or barriers for them. The physical, social and emotional principles that are offered by FCOS are crucial to understanding families and children and how to improve their welfare.

Food & Clothing Science is an interdisciplinary discipline in Family and Consumer Science; combining aspects of natural and social science. It focuses on the relationship between individuals, families and communities, and the environment in which they live. Food Science draws on biology, psychology, sociology, education, economics, chemistry, physics, mathematics and engineering to study food & nutrition, principles of food, food hygiene and safety, nutritional assessment methods, sensory evaluation of foods and life cycle nutrition and meal management.

Crop Science is concerned with the application of biological, chemical and physical principles to crops and cropping systems for conversion into food, feed, pharmaceuticals and ornamental commodities. Crop Science examines agronomic crop plants, their growth habits and their genetic improvement. It also considers the techniques to enhance a plant’s ability to convert sunlight into usable energy, fight off diseases and insects, and produce crops that are economically and environmentally sustainable.

Aquaculture is an applied science that deals with the culture of numerous aquatic organisms in a wide range of culture environment (from sea enclosures to semi- extensive ponds and high-tech recirculation systems). Aquaculture is often referred to as the aquatic equivalent of agriculture and it includes the production of freshwater and marine fish, molluscs (including oysters), crustaceans (shrimps, prawns) and aquatic plants such as seaweed.

Animal Science deals with the scientific production and management of animals with an emphasis on animal nutrition, reproduction, genetics and growth. Apart from dealing with the sound foundation in the science upon which the production of animals depends, Animal Science also integrate the business and support services in the animal industry. The challenges and issues that affect the animal industry in the wider social and economic context are also considered. The B.Sc.

Agricultural Economics is concerned with the study of the production, distribution and consumption of agricultural goods and services. In order to understand agriculture and resource issues, economic theory provides an analytical framework that can be used to assess the interconnected parts of the agricultural industry, predicting likely outcomes of programmes, policies and regulations and devising necessary solutions.

UG’s Agricultural Extension Programme primarily focuses on training professionals who would ultimately serve as intermediaries between research and farmers. Agricultural Extension Officers operate as facilitators and communicators, assisting farmers in their decisionmaking and ensuring that appropriate knowledge is implemented to obtain the best results.

Agribusiness combines the knowledge and principles of agriculture, science, economics and business for the production, processing and marketing of agricultural commodities. Agribusiness examines the structure and organisation of the agricultural food sector as well as the entire value chain extending from farm inputs, through onfarm businesses, to processing, transportation, credit and marketing. The cost-effective management and conservation of natural resources are also considered in Agribusiness.

Materials scientists and engineers are developing important new materials to meet the needs of the ever-changing technological society. These include high-temperature superconductors; high-strength alloys for use at the extreme temperatures encountered in jet and rocket engines; specialised glasses and ceramics with high thermal, mechanical, and chemical stability, and a host of polymeric materials: some with unique functional characteristics and others which replace metal, glass, wood, and natural fibres in dozens of applications.