Faculty of Agriculture, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Puliyankulama, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.
Faculty of Agriculture envisions to be a dynamic, innovative and renowned centre for excellence in Agriculture.
Mission of the Faculty of Agriculture is to produce innovative and dynamic graduates with sound knowledge and requisite skills towards achieving a sustainable development in Agriculture, through creating a conducive environment for teaching, learning, research and dissemination of knowledge.
To realise these vision and mission, the Faculty of Agriculture, RUSL was established in 2001 at Puliyankulama, Anuradhapura with the aim of developing sustainable agricultural systems by utilizing rural farm settings and natural resources effectively by focusing on the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka. Currently, the Faculty of Agriculture has four departments namely, Agricultural Systems, Plant Sciences, Agricultural Engineering and Soil Science, and Animal and Food Sciences. The Master of Agriculture degree programme was launched in 2019 and Master of Philosophy degree programme is launched in 2022. In collaboration with the entire university Postgraduate Diploma in Rural Development is also offered from 2022 under the Board of Study in Agriculture. These new postgraduate programmes aim to build on synergies in agriculture and rural economy to achieve rapid economic development and poverty reduction in the agriculture sector of the country. The Master of Agriculture degree programme has been designed as a multidisciplinary degree to expand students’ overall academic and research competence including the basic and applied knowledge on managing available natural resources for agricultural development in Sri Lanka.
Students will be supported to achieve the set objectives by experienced and trained scientists in various disciplines. The graduate will be able to develop a holistic, cross-disciplinary understanding in agriculture and to use the acquired knowledge in the development of agriculture by protecting natural resource in a sustainable manner. This degree programme could be completed within one academic year involving a balanced curriculum of classroom lectures, laboratory practical sessions, hands on training in new methods and technologies and field visits. However, some of these physical activities are constrained due to the pandemic, the programme has been offered smoothly in online mode. The new developments in agriculture sector have been utilized worldwide to empower people who are involves in agriculture. In addition, the government of Sri Lanka has recognized the agricultural development as an important field of study to boost the development of the country. The government as well as many private sector organizations have established their research and development, and business facilities in the country, particularly in the north central, north and east provinces, where their workforce seeking to achieve postgraduate research qualifications. The Master of Philosophy degree programme launched in this context to provide research opportunities for enhancing the postgraduate education in agriculture in the region.
