History of the Faculty of Agriculture
University of Jaffna was insisting the University grant commission to establish the Faculty of Agriculture since 1981 but the approval was given in 1985 by the University Grant Commission. Construction of buildings for faculty of agriculture began in 1986, however it was unfortunately disturbed in 1987 and no progress was made thereafter due to the civil war. The Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jaffna has been the real victim of war among all study programs in Sri Lanka due to its original location at Kilinochchi. The Faculty has been suffering from its inception in December 1990 without proper infrastructure facilities. Kilinochchi was identified as the suitable location, which is 64 Km away from Jaffna, since it has high potential in terms of land and water for the agricultural development and also identified as central place for all five districts of Northern Region from where majority of students were admitted to the Faculty. Therefore, the Faculty of Agriculture of University of Jaffna was established with 6 departments at Kilinochchi at the shared buildings belongs to Regional Agricultural Research Station and District Training Centre of Department of Agriculture on December 3rd 1990. The buildings of In-Service Training Institute of the department of Agriculture also shared their physical resources to commence the study programme. Faculty functioned at Kilinochchi up to 1996 and four batches of students were admitted. Due to the military operation in 1996 in Kilinochchi, the faculty was compelled to displace to various places in Vanni and finally University Council decided to temporarily shift the faculty to Jaffna and the academic programme recommenced in August, 1997. Admitting all difficulties faced by the faculty and its significance to the agriculture development of the region, its re-establishment at Kilinochchi is given top most priority in the Cooperate Plan of the University. An existing building complex at Ariviyal Nagar in Kilinochchi was allocated by the cabinet to the Faculty of Agriculture. Renovation works at Ariviyal Nagar Complex is already started for Administrative block, lecture halls, Agricultural Engineering and Agricultural Economics, Department of Agricultural Biology in a separate building and the building accommodate departments of Agronomy, Agricultural Chemistry and Animal Science are in progress with the assistance of UGC and Ministry of Higher Education. Willingness and commitments of staff and students are added strength to relocate the Faculty at Kilinochchi as early as possible. At present the faculty is functioning with limited facilities in terms of physical resources especially farms, laboratories and lecture halls in Jaffna. The six departments are functioning in private houses which were closed to main premises. The laboratory of Agricultural Chemistry and Engineering drawing lab both are functioning at Faculty of Medicine. The Faculty is planned to relocate in 2013 at Ariiviyal Nagar, Kilinochchi and it will be equipped with the required physical resources especially with accomodation facilities which will ensure the implementation of identified activities proposed in this proposal to produce quality graduates. The Government has allocated Rs 396 Million for the renovation of the buildings at Ariviyal Nagar and the renovation works are already started and are in progress.
Deans of the Faculty of Agriculture
Prof.S.Kandiah | Oct 1990 – Mar 1991 |
Dr.A.Navaratnarajah | Apr 1991 – Oct 1992 |
Dr.S.Mohanadas | Oct 1992 – Mar 1994 |
Dr.A.Navaratnarajah | Mar 1994 – Mar 1997 |
Eng.R.Vijayaratnam | May 1997 – May 2000 |
Prof.S.Rajadurai | May 2000 – Jun 2006 |
Dr.[Ms].S.Sivachandiran | Jun 2006 – Jun 2012 |
Prof.G.Mikunthan | Jun 2012 – Dec 2013 |
Dr.[Ms].S.Sivachandiran | Jan 2014 – June 2015 |
Dr.[Mrs].T.Mikunthan | June 2015 – June 2018 |
Dr.K.Sooriyakumar | June 2018 – June 2021 |
Dr. S.Vasantharuba | June 2021 – up to now |