University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur

The Hyderabad-Karnataka region is agrarian, with irrigation potential of 12 lakh ha, through Tungabhadra, Krishna, Karanja and Mullamari etc, irrigation projects, covering 44.96 lakh ha, accounting for 33.60% of the geographical area of the state. Out of it 68% is under cultivation, and having medium (32.42%) and large farmers (36.69% bestowed with rich natural resources, especially for agricultural development. The need to open an agricultural university for this area exclusively was felt. To fulfill this need the Government of Karnataka (No. AHD: 165:UAS:99, dated 17-12-1999) directed University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, to submit a feasibility report on the proposal to open it. An expert committee was constituted (No.AO/Est-V/LC/4778-B/99-00; dated 5-1-2000), which recommended the proposal. The cabinet approved the proposal for establishment of agricultural university at Raichur, with an allocation of Rs 5 crores during 2008-09 academic year on 26 September 2008.

Raichur is the oldest establishment for agricultural research, where an Agricultural Research Station was established in 1932 by the then Nizam’s Government of Hyderabad, with a mandate to carry out research on dryland farming. After the reorganization of states in India, Raichur was identified as the main research station for oilseeds. With the establishment of State Agricultural University in Karnataka in 1964 at Bangalore, it was elevated to the level of Regional Research Station with jurisdiction of five districts of northern Karnataka, Agricultural Engineering Institute was added to Raichur campus in 1969 to offer diploma course in Agri-Engineering, which in 1987 elevated to the status of College of Agricultural Engineering on upgradation of Diploma to B.Tech. degree. In 1984 and 2000, two Colleges of Agriculture were started functioning, one at Raichur and the other at Bheemarayanagudi (Shahapur taluk of Gulbarga district) respectively, with an intake capacity of 30 students. However, with establishment of University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad during 1986, Raichur became the component campus under UAS, Dharwad. It continued to have the privilege of being the second largest campus and a major hub of education under UAS, Dharwad. The Post-graduate degree programme leading to Masters degree in eight departments was started in 1995, with an intake capacity of 5 students for each department every year. In 1994 Krishi Vigyana Kendra a component of UAS, Dharwad, but funded and monitored by the ICAR, started functioning in the campus and received the best Krishi Vigyan Kendra National Award for the year 2007-08. Thus Raichur centre completed all the necessities of teaching, research and extension. During 2008-09 and 2009-10, PG programme began in other departments, thus making a total of 13 departments offering Post-graduate programme at the campus level. The Raichur campus has registered significant growth in the last decade, reaching newer heights in education, research and extension.

Mission
The UAS, Raichur has a mission to persue the need of agricultural education to sensitize the farming community with scientific innovations, short- and long-term for the tribulations faced by the farming community through research for growth and sustainability of agricultural sector and outreaching the technologies to uplift the socio-economic status of the farming community through strong extension linkages.