research & publications

DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (DFST)

Background: The University of Namibia (UNAM) has been serving the nation in various ways and contributes significantly to national reconstruction and development since its inception in 1992. The Department of Food Science and Technology (DFST) at Neudamm Campus is one of the six (6) departments in the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Neudamm Campus is 35 km East of Windhoek, 10 km before the Hosea Kutako International Airport. Since its establishment in 1996 the DFST has been involved in teaching, research and community service. DFST is the pioneer of food science and technology programs and the leader of food science research and education in Namibia. The department awarded the first Bachelor degree (17 BSAG) in 2000 and is looking forward to introduce graduate programs in 2012.

1. VISION:           To become an outstanding teaching and research department that effectively contributes to national, regional and global efforts to promote value addition, food safety, food security and poverty reduction.

2.  MISSION:        To promote sustainable processing and utilization of agricultural and natural resources so as to improve the lives of people as well as economy and social well-being through teaching, research and outreach to the food industries and consumers.

3.  STRATEGY:   To use annual work plans together with Five Year Development Plan to implement output-oriented inter-related teaching and research related programmes, each of them focused on a few carefully selected thrusts or objectives.

Focusing on Our Future
In 14 February 2008, recommendations made by the DFST Lecturers on a 5 Year Strategic Plan were approached through the departmental annual plan by looking at the three core functions of UNAM namely: teaching, research and advisory services (community outreach). The following strategic objectives found in the UNAM Third Five-year Strategic Plan were indeed of particular relevance:

• SO1 – improving the teaching and learning environment
• SO2 – Strengthening research and consultancy
• SO3 – Increasing relevance of UNAM programmes
• SO5 – Diversification of sources of funding

CURRENT HAPPENINGS

• IMPROVE QUALITY OF TEACHING BY THE USE OF POWERPOINT PRESENTATION (PPT) 

• Improved use of multimedia in lecturing. The use of ppt will be taken as a standard teaching method in lectures. Limitation: inadequate laptops and projectors.

• Better demonstrate relevance of theory to local Namibian situation. To be done through allocating problems from the field and industry to students as student research projects and organizing seminars to be presented to students on topical issues by professionals in food science and technology field.

• Complete the rehabilitation of laboratory equipment and provide training on operation of specialized equipment to departmental staff.

• Equipment to be used for student practicals to enable student cement theory learnt in class.

Expected Output:

• Invest in our department and academic lecturers through educational programming and peer-sharing sessions.

• IMPROVE STAFF INVOLVEMENT IN RESEARCH

• Staff members agreed to set a target of publishing at least one (1) research article per person per year.  A review of past student projects is to be made to see which ones would be suitable for further research work.

• Draw up a proposal and seek funding for the establishment of a pilot-plant for applied research and new product development. Explore possibility of public-private partnership. Here the department is intending to use Post mortem building for pilot plant.

• Strengthen fledgling collaboration with the Food Science department of Stellenbosch University.

• Identifying and engaging in research activities that can add value to the Neudamm farm enterprise e.g. value addition to meat and milk.

Expected Output:

• Provide exposure to outside experts who can share their expertise and/or experience and stimulate new ideas and thinking.