Origin of the Department

A separate department of Agriculture was organised in 1882 based on the recommendations of the Indian Famine Commission (1880). In 1904, the Agriculture Department was organised as an independent unit with the Director of Agriculture and necessary supporting staff. In 1905, the Agricultural College was transferred to function under the Department from Directorate of Public Instruction. Several changes took place in its organisational set up owing to the bifurcation of the State, District and Taluks etc. In 1971, the fundamental research and higher education activities of the Department hitherto under the control of the Department was transferred to the newly formed Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore excepting the Regional Research Stations. In 1977-78, the activities of the Department with regard to Agricultural Marketing were separated and vested with the newly formed Directorate of Agricultural Marketing with headquarters at Trichy since shifted to Chennai. Likewise in 1979-80 two Departments, namely, Seed Certification and Horticulture and Plantation Crops were formed separating the subjects from this Department. In 1980-81 two more Department viz., Oilseeds and Agricultural Engineering were formed. In 1981-82, all the research stations which were hitherto with the Department were handed over to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University leaving behind only extension activities, inputs supply, quality control, soil testing and adaptive research. In April 1991, the Oilseeds Department was merged with the Department of Agriculture.

Source : http://www.agriculture.tn.nic.in/aboutus.html