In 1871, the then, Imperial Government (British India) had created a central department of Agriculture to generate the revenue from Agricultural Sector. During a decade followed, the country had faced several draughts, famines and calamities causing food shortage. As a result of which a Famine Commission was set up, in 1880 to suggest the measures to cope with this situations. There were evidences that in every seven good seasons, there were two bad seasons and in every twelve years there was one disastrous famine. The commission recommended strengthening the Department of Agriculture to mitigate this situation. And hence, a central department of agriculture was strengthened in 1882, by creating state department of agriculture in each province under the administrative control of a Secretary. In 1892, the positions of Chief Soil Chemist and Soil Chemist were created to head the central and state department of agriculture respectively by scientific personnel.
In 1973, Agricultural Research Services had been established to recruit the qualified scientists to serve to ICAR system in 61 disciplines through a nation-wide competitive examination followed by personal interviews. Now, there are much developments in quality of Research and Education and the Institute Infrastructure. There are about hundred major Research Institutions covering almost every crops and every aspect in Agricultural Sectors including Animal Sciences and Fisheries. There are equal numbers of co-ordinate projects also. This is supported by the State Agricultural Universities and also Universities on Animal Sciences. Both together numbers 32. This figure may swell in near future. There is a very strong network of Agricultural Colleges run by the Government and also with the support of private-public-partnership mode in the country, located in different agro-climatic situations. Such constitutional colleges are numbered around 178. The manpower in ICAR research system constitute to more than 6500 and that of Agricultural University System around 5000. This network is responsible for quality education to train the human resource to cater to need of changing agriculture, coping with increasing demand of food, fiber, vegetable, fruits, milk and egg, etc. The Manoharbhai Patel College of Agriculture, Hiratiola, Tah-Goregaon, Dist-Gondia (Maharashtra), established in 2009, is one of the link in this strong network of agriculture colleges in the country.
The ICAR at central level, and the Agricultural Universities and Agricultural Colleges at local level, will keep the pace in up-scaling to fulfill the demand of the people with change in time, to achieve the sustainability and ensure to the food security – the right to food of the people – an enact passed by the Parliament in the year 2009.
The beginning of MB Patel College of Agriculture could be traced back to 2009, when the organization Bahujan Hitay Navyuwak Shikshan Sanstha decided to set up Agriculture College in the Gondia District eastern region of Maharashtra the first agriculture college in Gondia/Bhandara district.
The organization has taken the initiative to spread up degree level education in the field of Agriculture, so that young boys and girls acquire scientific knowledge in agriculture to improve farming and allied activities which are beneficial to raise the agriculture productivity and production in the area generating self-employment and engagement. People would be empowered to join the activities pertaining to human resource development. Thus social-economic and cultural activities pertaining to the status of the people are improved. The area is quite developed and the quality living standard is ensured. This organization strengthens the scientific based and adaptable technologies in the region pertaining to the subject of crop/horticulture/animal husbandry/fisheries/soil-water conservation/agro-forestry/plant nutrition/soil science etc. and environmental security.
The one of the important aims of the organization is to pursue and educate the students, villagers to get engaged in animal husbandry, dairying, sheep and goat farming and agro-horticulture for earning adequacy in livelihood which leads to a peace path of growth and the development and progress marching ahead to prosperity. For achieving this goal, the organization is established. Agriculture, Agro forestry, sheep and goat rearing; are the principle occupation of the people including mono-cropping as a traditional culture.
The organization will further support to strengthen the resource activities on extension education and other allied fields, for creating highly knowledgeable human resource which may directly or indirectly participate in developmental activity of the area, state and the country.
