Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU)

Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) is a public agricultural university with central offices in Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. Organized in a manner similar to agricultural universities in India, it is the only such university in Nepal.
It was created by the Parliament of Nepal, which passed a bill in June 2010 merging two constituent campuses of Tribhuvan University: the Rampur Agriculture Campus of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science and the Forestry Campus, Hetauda of the Institute of Forestry in Hetauda, Makawanpur. The university exists to offer agricultural workforce development and promote research in agriculture, forestry, and allied disciplines. Through teaching, research, and extension programs in agriculture, livestock, and forestry, it aims to raise the socio-economic conditions of rural people.

Academics

The university has inherited undergraduate, graduate and PhD programs in agricultural sciences of Rampur Campus and undergraduate program in forestry of Hetauda Campus. The Rampur Campus offers undergraduate degrees including a four-year B.Sc. Ag, five-year B.V.Sc. and A.H, four-year B.Sc Fisheries, two-year Master programs in Agriculture, Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Aquaculture, and Ph.D. programs.

In addition to its Bachelor of Forestry degree program, the Hetauda Forestry campus offers a Technical Certificate Level.

The university has 140 faculty members located at the Rampur Agriculture Campus and 55 at the Hetauda Forestry Campus. The university strength consists of around 800 undergraduate students, 200 postgraduate students and around 50 Ph.D. scholars in disciplines of agriculture and forestry. The Rampur academic complex extends in an area of 280 hectares (690 acres) and the Hetauda Campus has an area of 95 hectares (230 acres).

The faculty members focus their research work on increasing production and productivity of agricultural commodities, post-harvest technology, improving the shelf-life of food products, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing livelihood systems and innovation capacities of farming communities. The postgraduate students are contributing thesis research to generate knowledge and technologies to address the issues of agriculture and forestry in the nation.

History

Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) was established as a result of a bill enacted by the Nepalese Parliament in June 2010 authorizing the creation of three new universities at campuses owned by Tribhuvan University. The Rampur Agriculture Campus, associated with the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, and the Forestry Campus, Hetauda, associated with the Institute of Forestry, were designated as campuses for the new university. As of February 2015, Tribhuvan University has refused to transfer ownership of the campuses to the new university, citing its autonomy from the Nepalese legislature, and the existing Rampur Agriculture Campus has yet to vacate its administrative offices.

Campuses

• Agriculture Campus, Rampur, Chitwan
• Forestry Campus, Hetauda, Makawanpur

The University Complex of AFU and its Central Office, including the offices of the Vice Chancellor and Registrar, are on the Rampur campus.

कृषि तथा वन विज्ञान विश्वविद्यालय
Logo Of Agriculture And Forestry University
Type:	Public coeducational
Established:	2010
Chancellor:	Prime minister of Nepal
Vice- chancellor:	Prof. Dr. Ishwari Prasad Dhakal
Academic staff:	195
Students:	56 B.V.Sc. and A.H, 165 B. Sc. Ag., 50 B. Sc. Forestry, 15 B. Sc. Fisheries per batch
Location:	Rampur, chitwan, Nepal
Campus:	Rampur, Chitwan, Hetauda, makawanpur