The Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University (APAU) was established on June 12, 1964 at Hyderabad.

The University was formally inaugurated on March 20, 1965 by Late Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri, the then Hon'ble Prime Minister of India. Another significant milestone was the inauguration of the building programme of the University by Late Smt Indira Gandhi, the then Hon'ble Prime Minister of India on June 23, 1966.
         
The University was renamed as Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University on November 7th 1996 in honour and memory of an outstanding Parliamentarian Acharya N.G. Ranga, who rendered remarkable selfless service for the cause of farmers and is regarded as an outstanding educationist, kisan leader and freedom fighter.

 The importance of the application of Science and Technology for Agricultural development was realized as early as in the beginning of this century. Among the several commissions appointed for suggesting steps to streamline agriculture development, the Royal Commission (1926) emphasized the need for a strong research base for agricultural development. Subsequently, the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Commission (1949) on University Educationled to the establishment of Rural Universities for the overall development of agriculture and rural life in the country. Later, the Government of India constituted the First Joint Indo-American Team (1955) that studied the status and future needs of agricultural education in the country. The report of this.

 commission laid the foundation for all the subsequent developments with regard to agricultural education in India. However, for want of specific recommendations, the Government of India appointed the Second Joint Indo-American Team (1960) headed by Dr. M. S. Randhawa, the then Vice-President of Indian Council of Agricultural Research. The team submitted its report in 1960, which recommended specifically the establishment of Farm Universities and spelt out the basic objectives of these Universities as.