Food Engineering department

Background information of Food Engineering department

The ever-increasing population in the developing countries like Ethiopia coupled with postharvest losses, consumers’ demand for better quality, safe, shelf-stable and convenience foods has called for innovative food Engineering. In Ethiopia, much attention is given by the government on primary agricultural productivity to insure food security and industrialize raw material both for export and newly emerging domestic processors.

A three-year study curriculum was designed in Food and Bio process Technology program in 2001E.C with three academic staffs and eighteen students were admitted and graduated with BSc degree in  Food and Bio process Technology in 2003 E.C.  For the second time in 2004E.C, the program was nationally harmonized and upgrade to five-year study named as Bachelor of Science degree in Food Technology and Process Engineering. With the help of Engineering Capacity Building Program (ecbp), the program was nationally harmonized and modified to five years study level and named as BSc in Food Engineering since 20015 E.C. This curriculum is competency based and incorporate engineering courses which improves the quality of its graduates on practice based education to address the need of the industry. Its development is crucial to meet national growth plan focused on agriculture processing development policy of the country. Thus, the Food Engineering Program at Wallaga University Institute of Technology has to play its share of responsibility in agro-processing sector.

The food processors and standardization authorities’ demands potential Food Engineering graduate professionals to effectively put their effort for the country’s economic growth.

In response to meeting such demand, food engineering has gained so much importance & needs to be attended that economists and policy makers look for a  tremendous boost  in the GTP of our country.