The need for an independent university for agriculture was realized, as a result of which the Maharashtra Government started an agriculture university on the 18th of May 1972 named as Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth with its headquarters at Daploi in the Ratnagiri District of the state. Later, on the 12th of February 2001, the university’s name was changed as Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth. The jurisdiction of this university is spread over five districts of Maharashtra namely Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Raigad, Thane and Brihan-Mumbai. The university was mainly established with the objective of conducting extension activities and research and education in the field of agriculture in an integrated way so as to attain a sustainable growth in the field. The list of constituent and affiliated colleges coming under the jurisdiction of this university is given below:

• Govindraoji Nikam Agriculture College, Mandaki-Palvan

• College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Mandki-Palvan

• College of Agriculture, Saralgaon

• College of Horticulture, Sawarde

• Chatrapati Shivaji Agriculture College, Kirlos

• Shri. S. S. Patil College of Agri. Marketing and Business Management, Panvel

• College of Agril. Engineering and Technology, Nivali

• College of Agril. Technology, Kharvate-Dahivali

Dr. Balasahen Sawant Kokan Vidyapeeth has won several awards like Vanashri award given by state government, Indira Priyadarshini Vruksha Mitra award given by central government of India and the best institute award given by Indian Council of Agriculture Research for its contribution towards the development of agriculture and agriculture education. The university’s rice research centre located at Kariat has bagged international awards two times for conducting the best research in rice and related technologies. Recently, the university developed some of the mango varieties like Redsmall, Totapuri, Ratna and Alphonso and these varieties were selected for prize at the agricultural exhibition held at Pune. Apart from these awards, the university has won several other awards for its performance in different fields of agriculture.