The foundation of agricultural research in Parbhani was laid by the erstwhile Nizam of Hyderabad with the commencement of the Main Experimental Farm in 1918.

Though during Nizam's rule agricultural education was available only at Hyderabad but crop research centers for sorghum, cotton, fruits existed in the region.

[1] The objectives of the university are education in agriculture and allied sciences, research based on regional needs and facilitate technology transfer, etc.

[citation needed] It is funded and regulated by the ICAR, Government of India.

The university also has 9 constituent agriculture schools and 53 affiliated ones, with a total intake of 3270 students.