Characteristics of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Forestry

• Demand is rising globally as society changes both in and out of the country, as do the agricultural, forestry and livestock industries. To meet rising demand, it is increasingly necessary to develop human resources who possess advanced professional knowledge and skills to solve a broad range of problems caused primarily by global warming and other environmental changes. These human resources will have the capabilities to solve problems associated with the production of agricultural, forestry and livestock products. In addition, they not only will develop high value-added agricultural, forestry and livestock products but also know how to protect, manage sustainably and use these products. Other knowledge and skills they will obtain include a knowledge about forest ecosystems and disaster reduction in local communities. They will also develop an understanding about the issues in food, agriculture and forestry in addition to problems facing agricultural and forestry communities as a result of ongoing globalisation so that they will be able to come up with the methods to revitalize these communities. Besides, they will acquire advanced professional knowledge and techniques related to agribusiness.
  
  The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Forestry is established, having its strategic base in southern Kyushu, with the mission of realizing stable production and management of agricultural, forestry and livestock resources; improvement and development of agricultural, forestry and livestock species; national land conservation and disaster reduction in local communities; water resources conservation; cyclical use of forests and forest protection/management; development of highly functional wood-based materials and revitalisation of the forestry industry; solving problems facing agricultural and forestry communities; and stable development of agribusiness as a branch of social science. In addition, the Department aims to contribute, through the revitalisation of the agriculture, forestry and livestock industries, to the development of Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, Pacific countries and other regions of the world as well as the local communities of southern Kyushu, which is a major supplier of farm products. To that end, existing specialties–Agronomy, Horticultural Science, Plant Pathology and Entomology, Animal Science, Agricultural Economics and Management, Soil Science, Science of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizers, Utilisation of Wood-based Materials, Forest Hydrology and Disaster Mitigation Science, and the education and research bodies of the farm and experiment forest attached to the University–were reorganised into four new Courses: Plant Production Science, Animal Science, Forest Management, and Food and Agricultural Economics. The aim is to provide practical education in southern Kyushu, which is a major supplier of agricultural products in Japan, and train human resources who will contribute to the development of agricultural, forestry and livestock industries.　[Plant Production Science]   [Animal Science]   [Forest Management]   [Food and Agricultural Economics]

Our Image of Human Resources

　Persons who have undergone advanced professional/practical education and acquired advanced techniques/theories in agriculture, forestry and livestock resources and have the capability to take a leadership position and play a central role in the promotion and development of agriculture, forestry and livestock industries as well as identify problems and solve them in local communities in southern Kyushu, which is a major international and domestic farm producer.To develop these human resources, the following four Courses are offered: 

Plant Production Science 

• 　The Course provides advanced professional education in plant production science including agronomy, horticultural science, plant nutrition, soil science, pest control and genetic improvements. In addition, the course develops human resources who utilize what they have learned in solving problems from a leadership position and who apply a broad viewpoint and have an international sense in dealing with problems of agricultural production arising from environmental changes such as global warming.

Animal Science

• The Course provides in-depth knowledge relating to efficient and sustainable production management of high-quality livestock and development of high-value-added livestock products/advanced utilization techniques and offers professional education to enable students to acquire practical skills to play a central role in local communities in identifying and solving problems regarding promotion, development and internationalization of the livestock industry. 

Forest Management 

• The Course provides advanced professional education on subjects relating to studying forests from a biological/ecological viewpoint, land conservation, community disaster reduction, water resources conservation. In addition, the course teaches how to develop protection/management plans for cyclical resource utilization/reproduction, sophistication of production system/measurement techniques, development of highly functional wood-based materials, socioeconomic policies relating to forests and forestry, restoration of forestry and revitalization of forestry communities to develop human resources who work on sustainable management of forestry resources. 

Food and Agricultural Economics 

• The Course provides by means of social science methods for professional education in subjects relating to the rapidly globalizing food industry, agriculture and agricultural communities. The goal is to develop local leaders, policymakers and agribusiness managers who possess advanced knowledge and practical skills in food/agriculture issues, local revitalization and agribusiness.

Diploma Policies

The Master’s degree (Agronomy) shall be awarded to students who have been awarded the credit points required for graduation and have passed a thesis examination or screening of their research results on a specific theme and have the following credentials/capabilities.

• A broad knowledge of, and sophisticated and practical skills in the production, processing and consumption of agricultural, forestry and livestock resources, as well as in environmental field and social cooperation. 
  
• 　The capability to play a central role in local communities in identifying and solving problems relating to the development of local agricultural, forestry and livestock techniques and revitalization of farming and forestry communities.