Agriculture has always been the source of livelihoods for Ethiopian people and is the backbone of the national economy. The sector employs 86% of the population. It also contributes 43% of the gross domestic product and 90% of the export earnings is derived from agriculture. Moreover, it supplies significant proportion of the raw materials for the agro-industries. However, due to the poor, traditional and backward agricultural performance, , millions of people still face food shortage, famine, starvation and malnutrition.

Most parts of Ethiopia suffer also from several forms of environmental/natural resources degradation that adversely affected food and agricultural production and productivity. Factors such as high population pressure (about 2.8% growth rate per annum), deforestation, overgrazing along with inappropriate land and water resources management practices are thought to be the major reasons for such high levels of land resources degradation.

To feed a population that doubles every 20 years, agricultural yield increment is highly required through the combination of scientific knowledge with traditional know-how. Technological advancement and yield increment in agriculture highly depends on research and research in turn depends on training and education. Therefore, training is the key to the whole process.

Considering the highest environmental degradation in the country, frequent drought and food shortage, on the one hand, and agricultural potentials of Amhara region where the College is located, on the other, the initiation of the first agricultural college in the region was justifiable and long overdue. This fact along with an equitable expansion of higher education in the country and an increased institutional independence, a conducive environment was created for Bahir Dar University (BDU) to initiate new curricula in agriculture and environmental science. Accordingly, in September 2002, a committee was established to prepare the curricula and finally, the then Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences which currently is developed into college was launched in 2005 by enrolling 240 students in seven undergraduate programs. Curriculum revisions took place in 2006 and 2008 to suit to the needs of the stakeholders and very recently the curricula were changed in to modular approach.

 Vision  

The College aspires to be center of excellence in agricultural and environmental training and research in Africa.

Mission

The mission of the College is stated as follows:

• Training professionals so as to raise the agricultural skill and knowledge base and satisfy the trained manpower needs of the nation and the region.
• Carry out research that is focused on the nation's agricultural problems so as to contribute to increasing production and productivity, protection and management of natural recourses and improving the livelihood of the rural population by introducing adaptable and appropriate agricultural technologies and management practices.
• Provide advisory and consultancy services for governmental and non-governmental agricultural organizations as well as providing direct and indirect outreach services to the smallholder farming communities, pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in the region.
  

Organizational Structure

The College of Agriculture and Environmental Science is accountable to the President of the University but also to the respective Vice presidents related to their domain areas of responsibilities. It is administered by a Dean. It has also a Vice Dean who is mostly responsible for academic and students’ affairs with strong support and backup of a Program Manager. As the name indicates, the Post Graduate, Research and Community Service Coordinator, who has an equivalent position as the Vice Dean, is solely responsible for the post graduate programs, research and community service issues. The College is currently offering courses to undergraduate students in the form of Modular approach. Each academic program (formerly called departments) has about 10 modules. Each module is an assembly of courses which are closely related and are led by senior staffs named as course chairs. The course chairs are responsible for the teaching-learning processes in their respective module which they are coordinating.

The College is autonomous in many respects. It is recognized as cost center by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Thus, it prepares its own budget and administers upon approval. The College runs its day-to-day activities on its own. The highest decision making organ at the College level is the Academic Council and the Dean of the College runs the day-to-day activities. Most activities of the College are accomplished by the various programs and course chairs of the College in close consultation and supervision of the Program Manager, the Post Graduate, Research and Community Service Coordinator, the Vice Dean and the Dean. There are different case teams within the College such as the Program Management and Marketing Case Team; Customer Relations and Information Case Team; Human Resource Case team. Each case team has their own responsibilities so as the College discharges its day-to-day responsibilities.