Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University

Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University (APAU) was founded on 12 June 1964 under the Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University Act, 1963, as a state‑run institution dedicated to the scientific advancement of agriculture, allied sciences, and rural development. Headquartered in Hyderabad, the university quickly became a hub for crop‑improvement research, farmer‑centric extension, and professional training, distinguishing itself as the first comprehensive agricultural university in the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh.

Origins and Legislative Foundation

The university’s legal basis lies in Act 23 of 1963 passed by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, which mandated a single autonomous body to coordinate agricultural education, research, and extension across the state. The inaugural Vice‑Chancellor, Dr. K. V. R. Reddy, assumed office on 1 July 1964 and oversaw the consolidation of existing colleges into a unified system. Within its first decade, APAU secured a central grant of ₹ 2 crore from the Government of India’s Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), enabling the establishment of a network of research stations.

Academic Structure and Research Network

At inception APAU comprised four constituent colleges—College of Agriculture (Bapatla), College of Agricultural Engineering (Guntur), College of Horticulture (Mullapudi), and College of Veterinary Science (Hyderabad)—and twelve research stations strategically located in major agro‑ecological zones. By the early 2000s the university had expanded to seven colleges, adding a College of Fisheries (Kakinada) and a College of Food Technology (Vijayawada), thereby covering the full spectrum of primary sector disciplines. Each college offers undergraduate (B.Sc., B.Tech.) and postgraduate (M.Sc., M.Tech.) programmes, while the university’s doctoral school enrolls roughly 300 Ph.D. candidates annually.

Research is coordinated through the Directorate of Research, which manages 12 stations and 5 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) that deliver technology transfer to over 1 million farmers per year. Notable outputs include the release of more than 30 high‑yielding varieties of rice, millets, and pulses, and the development of a drought‑tolerant groundnut hybrid (NG‑1) that contributed to a 12 % yield increase in the Rayalaseema region during the 2018‑19 season.

Reorganisation after State Bifurcation

The bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh on 2 June 2014 prompted a statutory re‑structuring of APAU. The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed the Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University (Amendment) Act, 2014, which renamed the institution Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) and shifted its headquarters to Guntur. Concurrently, the Hyderabad campus was transferred to the newly created University of Agricultural Sciences, Hyderabad (UAS‑Hyderabad). The amendment came into force on 1 July 2015, preserving the university’s assets while aligning them with the respective state jurisdictions.

Current Status and Impact

Today ANGRAU serves approximately 5 000 students across its seven colleges, supported by an annual state allocation of ₹ 210 crore and additional funding from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The university maintains collaborations with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the CGIAR Fund for Climate‑Smart Agriculture, facilitating joint projects on precision farming and carbon‑sequestration. In 2022 the university launched the “Digital Rythu” platform, an online portal that disseminates real‑time weather alerts, market prices, and advisory videos to over 800 000 registered farmers in Andhra Pradesh.

Through its integrated model of education, research, and extension, Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University—now ANGRAU—continues to shape the agronomic landscape of the state, driving productivity gains, fostering sustainable practices, and contributing to food security for a population of more than 50 million.