Yunnan Agricultural University consists of 15 schools. They are School of Agriculture and Biotechnology, School of Animal Science and Technology, School of Economics and Trade, School of Engineering, School of Tobacco Science, School of Plant Protection, School of Ornamental and Horticulture, School of Resources and Environment, School of Water Resources, Hydraulics, and Architecture, School of Science and Information, School of Food Science and Technology, School of Physical Education, School of Foreign Languages, School of Humanities and Social Science, and School of Continuing Education. There are 28 Bachelor degree programs, 13 Associate bachelor degree programs, and 18 Master degree programs. 8 subjects are key subjects in Yunnan Province. YAU is proud of having two key laboratories and 23 research institutes/centers affiliated to the university. The two key laboratories are the Key Phytopathology Laboratory of Yunnan Province, and the Key Animal Nutrition and Feed Laboratory of Yunnan Province. The Biodiversity and Crop Disease Control Laboratory, which is the key laboratory of the Ministry of Education in China, is under the planning. With the financial support of 10,400,000 RMB (Chinese Currency) from Yunnan Province, the Key Laboratory of the Inbreeding Coefficient Study in Xishuangbana Mini-ear Swine is under the construction. The university also enrolls students from foreign countries. YAU has cooperated with both domestic and foreign universities to enroll, co-advise doctoral students, and offer doctoral degrees.

The university campus, covering an area of 130 hectares, is located in Heilongtan Park (Black Dragon Pool Park), one of the scenic spots to the north of Kunming. The total area of the campus building is about 250,000 square meters. YAU provides excellent facilities for doing teaching and research projects. The value of the total teaching and research equipments is about 35,550,000 RMB (Chinese Currency). The university library has 630,000 volumes and many other journals. The university has been networked to improve its teaching and working effectiveness and efficiency. In 1998, YAU was awarded as the Civilized University by Yunnan Provincial Government.

Currently, there are 1,198 faculty and staff members at YAU, of whom 51 are professors and 162 are associate professors. 113 faculty members are master degree advisors, and 6 professors are appointed as the doctoral degree advisors by other universities. 11 outstanding faculty members have been selected as the major academic leaders in the New Century Science and Technology Projects in Yunnan Province. 10 faculty members have been awarded the outstanding science experts by Yunnan Province. 21 teachers have been honored as the outstanding teachers in Yunnan Province.

There are 6,831 students at present, including 5,315 undergraduate students, 171 graduate students, and 1,209 adult students undertaking their continuing education at the university.
With the university history of sixty-three years, about 40,000 students have graduated from the university, and are making their contribution to the society. Many alumni have become specialists in the fields of science, education, agricultural production and administration.

Since 1996, the university administrators and faculty have devoted themselves to the improvement of administration, curriculums and instruction. These activities have greatly enhanced the teaching effectiveness, and 22 activities have been awarded the teaching achievements by Yunnan Province. In 1999, the Teaching Affairs Section was awarded the Outstanding Teaching Affairs Unit of the National Higher Institutions.

Since 1978, the University has undertaken more than 1,000 research projects of various kinds. 182 projects have been awarded various teaching and researching achievement prizes, of which 6 awards are at the national level, and 100 awards are at the provincial level. In 1973, the researchers of the university succeeded in combining the three varieties of Japonica Hybrid Rice. Furthermore, this Japonica Hybrid rice research project has created the world record of harvesting 1,108.55 Kilogram rice per unit. The project, Sustaining Control of the Rice Blast by Biodiversity, has made its theoretical and practical achievements. The article concerning the project has been published in Nature, and the achievement is ranked the top of the Ten Scientific Projects in Chinese Higher Institutions. The Study on the Coefficient of Inbreeding Xishuangbanna Mini-ear has also made a great improvement, and its achievements are at the world standard. Besides these projects, other projects, such as the Wild Sugarcane Resources Research, the study on the Feed for Piglets and Ruminants, the Selection and Breeding of Local Recognized Pig Breeds, and the Research on the Origination of Oriental Honey Bee are unique and their accomplishments have greatly benefited the development of agriculture. At present, the university has the total scientific budgets of 40,000,000 RMB (Chinese Currency). The current projects include the ones from China 863 Plan, the National Science Foundation Key Projects, the Scientific Cooperation Projects between European Union and the Developing Countries, and Yunnan Provincial Scientific Research Key Projects. In 1996, the Section for Scientific Research and Administration of YAU was awarded the Outstanding Scientific Research Administration Unit of the National Higher Institutions.

The university pays special attention to the scientific extension. Scientific and technological achievements are being put into practice. Experts and technicians are sent out into the field, where they demonstrate their achievements to the local farmers. The results of the scientific and extension programs have enhanced the economic development of the local areas. YAU was awarded the First Prize of Yunnan Scientific Research Extension Unit, and the First Prize of Aiding the Poor Program.

Over ten years, YAU has actively participated in international exchanges, and has established academic relations with universities and research institutions in Britain, U.S.A., Japan, Thailand, Australia, the Philippines, Mexico, Holland, France, and Vietnam. Hundreds of teachers have been sent abroad for research or further studies. More than 100 famous scholars and experts have been appointed as guest professors from domestic and foreign countries. The university teaching and research have been improved because of its globalization.

The university administrators, the faculty members, the staff and the students are working together to improve the quality of teaching, the level of scientific research and the efficiency of university management.