Dear Surfers,

The Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner on account of its location and service area of arid and semi-arid districts of Rajasthan is dedicated to generate human resource, trained and educated in Agricultural Science; development of new knowledge, technologies and sustainable practices of crop production and Animal Husbandry and dissemination for their effective transfer of technology to farmers and livestock owners of arid and semi-arid regions in Rajasthan.

The RAU has been serving with clear vision, defined mandates and well laid objectives. With time it has responded to changing scenario of agriculture and enhanced expectations of peers and society. With its sound Educational, Research and Extension infrastructure in terms of five colleges, seven Agricultural Research Stations (ARSs) and 14 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) spread in 21 districts of Rajasthan, the university has been growing in term of infrastructure and human resource of faculty, scientists and supporting staff. The paradigm shifts in Agricultural Science and new dictums further necessitate focusing on issues of optimization of efforts for harnessing the potentials of arid horticulture, silvi-pasture development and livestock production and management. The art and science of Agriculture is now at the threshold of amalgamation with industry and commerce, which calls for value addition at the site of production, market chain and feeding national and global market. The need of inculcation the X factor of self-reliance in students for securing coveted placements and addressing to the expectations of rural and urban sectors of societies can be met with increased Teaching-Research-Extension linkages. The challenges of keeping abreast with modern trends of Research have been sharpened as well as facilitated on account of advents of Info-communication Technology (ICT) through which the world has been transformed into a global village.

The ICAR as governing council and Government of Rajasthan have always been supportive to strengthen teaching, research and extension efforts and allowed university to be growth oriented and functional. The onus is upon the RAU family to become more effective and output oriented. The time is now ripe that we resolve to become world leader in Arid Agriculture with wealth of indigenous knowledge and traditions of the region. With Peer Review by ICAR we have introspected our achievements and weaknesses. Let us ask ourselves should we build fresh road map for future by a unified VISION 2025 document of the University ?

Traditions are good to sustain but new paths are to be searched for growth and this would need innovativeness in ideas and freedom of action. The current scenario offers us a queer admixture of aspirations and apprehensions. We, as enlightened clan, are expected to convert challenges into opportunities. Let’s accept this challenge?

Every discipline, subject, faculty and work contribute equally to the  progress of institute and the status is some times taken to greater heights by aspiring and hard working individuals. Beyond this, there are certain areas like Biotechnology, Globalization, National and International Commodity Marketing, Arid Biodiversity, Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Wealth, Organic Farming, Water Saving Farming, Food and Nutrition, Women Empowerment, Distance Education, Natural Resource Management and Livestock Health and Production which may help us in developing into forerunners in Science and Technology of arid land and water management. With these few examples I wish that each unit of teaching, research and extension identifies its strongholds and plans for its transformation to specialties and monopolies.
 
 Assuring of my bit of contribution of providing a congenial and uninhibited working environment, I look forward toward a new zest, vigor and interest in one and all to work for better living of desert people.