Agriculture continues to be the single largest sector, a dominant driving force for growth and the main source of livelihood for 70 percent of the country's population. It accounts for 21.8 percent of the GDP and employs 44.7 percent of the total work force. As such agriculture enjoyed the center of the national economic policies and has been designated by the government as the engine of the national economic growth as well as effective tool of poverty reduction. Agriculture contributes to the economic growth as a base of raw material to the industry, ultimately the industrial products. Thus any improvement in agriculture will not only boost country's economic growth to rise at a faster rate but will also nourish and fulfill the nutritive requirements of a large segment of the country's population. Previously six agriculture Universities and a number of colleges were functioning in Pakistan (Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Tando Jam, Lasbela, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Peshawar), which were insufficient to meet the increasing planner & skilled labor needs of a country with a population over 180 million. There was a dire need to establish new agriculture teaching and research institutes. Factors, making Swabi the most appropriate choice for an agriculture Department site, were numerous and varied so, the decision to establish one was the thirst of region. Department of Agriculture was established with an initial enrollment of 80 at newly established Anbar Campus of Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan in 2010 which was latter upgraded as University of Swabi on December, 2012. At present more than 500 students are being enrolled annually. The plan is based on the noble concept that education, research and employment must be strongly and permanently linked with each other. Department of Agriculture comprises of the Horticulture, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Entomology, Agronomy, Food which offers 4-years B. Sc (Hons) Agriculture, M. Sc (Hons) in Entomology, Horticulture, Plant Breeding and Genetics and Agronomy. Moreover, short courses in plant protection, bee keeping, household pest management are planned to commence in near future.
