Department of Food Engineering
Food engineering is a multidisciplinary field that applies scientific, mathematical, and engineering principles to the manufacturing, processing, preservation, packaging, and distribution of food products. According to Ethiopian industrial development strategic plan (2013) there are eleven main groups of manufacturing industries, accordingly, 32% of them fall under the category of food products and beverages, 20% of them under engineering industries, and 19% of these industries are categorized under non-metallic products.
In 2011/12, within the manufacturing sector the share of Food processing was around 20.2%, next to the leather and textile sub sectors which have 44.1 % and 33% shares respectively.
An increasing trend was observed in grain milling, soft and mineral water drinks, while no change in others. According to the 20010/11 CSA data, about 686 food-processing companies were found.
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. Thus Wollega University is training professionals in Food Engineering program for the country and Africa in general whose economy is agro based and endowed with unexploited indigenous technology waiting for research and development.
Vision and Mission
Vision
- Aspires to be top five program in Ethiopian Applied Science universities for the nation through excellence in Food Engineering by 2042
Mission
- To produce competent Food Engineering professionals through-high quality education
- To develop responsible and innovative graduates in promoting the sustainable processing and utilization of agricultural resources to the food industries and consumers in Ethiopia.
- To produce trained Food Engineers who can disseminate technology based consultancy and community service for holistic development of the country.
Rationale, Objectives, Outcome of the Program
Program Rationale
Now a day, food processing industries get great recognition in Ethiopia as a high-priority area. Inorder to achieve the expected returns on investment through good quality and right value addition, application of technology and Engineering has become imperative, leading to an unprecedented demand for scientists, technologists, Engineers and other professionals who can manage the emerging challenges of the food processing industry effectively.
Objective
To satisfy the country’s need for highly qualified trained Food Engineers to meet the demands of the country in academia, research, industry, governmental and non-governmental organizations to support development efforts of the country.
Program Outcome
Food Engineering professionals are equipped with professional knowledge and skill in the area and are able to employ modern technology extensively to produce and analyze food products, design food process and plant, simulate and test how a machine or food system operates, generate specifications for foods, machinery, or packaging, monitor product quality, safety, and control process efficiency.
Programs Detail
Head of Department
Boru Asefa
Food Engineering Department Head
Institutional Email: borua@wollegauniversity.edu.et
Phone Number: +251938995707