Georgian Institute of Agriculture

established in 1929 from the division of agronomy of the University of Tbilisi. In 1970 the institute included departments of agronomy, fruit growing, viticulture, the technology of agricultural products, silk production, economics, forestry management, agricultural mechanization and electrification, correspondence and advanced qualification courses for agricultural specialists, and a graduate program. There are 50 sub-departments, 12 scientific research laboratories, two model farms, and three museums (soil, forest, and plant protection). The institute’s library has 700,000 volumes.

In the 1970–71 academic year there were about 7,000 students attending the institute, and there were more than 300 instructors, of whom 47 were professors and doctors of science and about 200 were assistant professors and candidates of science. The institute is authorized to accept for defense doctoral and candidates’ dissertations. Between 1929 and 1969, the Georgian Institute of Agriculture graduated 25,000 specialists. It has published Transactions since 1933. In 1946 it was awarded the order of the Red Banner of Labor.