ABOUT US: The Institute of Agricultural Sciences AABHA (Alumni Association of BHU Agriculture) [email protected], is one of the three Institutes of Banaras Hindu University, www.bhu.ac.in, which ranks among the first few in the country in the field of academic and research output. This university has two campuses, 3 institutes, 16 faculties, 140 departments, 4 advanced centers and 4 interdisciplinary schools. The University is making its mark at the national and international levels in a number of frontier areas of Science, Social Science, Technology, Medicine and Agriculture etc. The University has three Institutes namely: a) Institute of Agricultural Sciences, b) Institute of Medical Sciences and c) Institute of Technology.

The main objective of the Institute of Agricultural Sciences are to promote and foster interactions amongst alumni and between the alumni and the institute and to cater to the growing needs of the students to make them the forerunners in agriculture at national level in terms of placement, training and research driven academics.

EDUCATION/ACADEMICS: The Institute of Agricultural Sciences at BHU offers Academics Programs like Undergraduate Programs, Postgraduate Programs and Research Programs (Ph.D). The Institute has eleven departments which consist of Department of Agricultural Economics, Agronomy, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Entomology & Agricultural Zoology, Department of Extension Education, Farm Engineering, Genetics & Plant Breeding, Horticulture, Mycology & Plant Pathology, Plant Physiology, Soil Sciences & Agricultural Chemistry.

RESEARCH: The Institute has released many important crop varieties developed by the department of Genetics and Plant Breeding.  New varieties on Pigeonpea, Rice, Safflower, Rajmash, Moong bean, Fieald pea, Wheat and Lentil Crop variety has been released. The Institute is planning to release new varieties of Maize.

EXTENSION: The Institute has also established some of its Auxiliary Units namely: Institute Dairy: The Goshala aims at nursing cows on the principle of Sanatan Dharm and make dairy produce available at "No profit, No loss" basis. Besides the unit provides facilities for teaching and research activities to the student and staff of the Institute in general and of the department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying in particular.  

Institute farm: The main aim of the farm is to provide essential facilities to faculty members and students for smooth conduct of research activities and demonstrative technologies.

Krishi Vigyan Kendras: was established with a view to explore the possibilities of using the diverse agro-climatic situations and bringing significant change in the socio-economic condition of the rural people. The Kendra is mainly involved in transferring improved agricultural technology to the rural area through need based training programme to the farmers/farm women/ rural youths, training to the Government extension personnel's involved in agriculture, demonstrations at the farmers field and other extension activities like field days, Kishan gosthi's, farmer's fair etc. KVK has been instrumental in transferring technology developed at BHU and other research organization to the farmers. Through the efforts of KVK the area under newly released varieties has almost doubled since the inception of KVK till date. In livestock production improved technology related to stall feeding, fodder production and livestock management was popularized to the farmers. The efforts of KVK have helped increasing number of tractors and other improved implements in the operational and adjacent area. Farmers of the operational area are now widely adopting improved technology.  

Horticulturist Unit: is responsible of maintaining greenery inside the campus. Plantation of lawns, flowering annuals round the year and roadside plantation, ornamental plants, wooden tree plantation, maintenance of lawns etc., are the responsibility of this unit. A central nursery has been established for selling saplings of fruit crop, timber crop, fuel wood. A special unit for raising of medicinal plants is established and currently 58 types of medicinal plant saplings are available for sale.

Facilities: includes Hostel facility, Library and Training & Placement Cell facility to almost       all the students in the campus.

Central Photo Unit: It offers carrier opportunities to the researchers, Scientist and Teachers of the Institute. It is a main method to flourish ideas among needy persons. The Agricultural students, Teachers, Scientist and Farmers learn their subject more easily with the Visual Photographic presentation of the research findings. In view of the above, the college of Agriculture in its initial stage itself had established a Photographic Laboratory with a single post of Photo-Artist under direct control of the Principal, Agriculture College. An additional post of Artist cum Photographer was created in the same grade and was filled in the year 1968. It was attached with the then section of Extension Wing, at present it is Department of Extension Education.

ADDRESS: Institute of Agricultural Sciences

               Banaras Hindu University

               Varanasi- 221005

               Tel: +91-542-2307114

               Fax: +91- 542- 2368993

LINKS: (i) www. Farmernet.com, (ii) www.farms.com, (iii) www.honeybee.com, (iv) www.agrisurf.com, (v) www.agronomy.org/asf, (vi) www.irri.org