In September 1999, to implement the strategy of western development and promote the coordinated reform of the science and education system, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council made overall plans. Seven teaching and scientific research institutions merged, namely Northwest Agricultural University, Northwest Forestry College, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest Institute of Water Resources Science, Shaanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shaanxi Provincial Academy of Forestry, and Northwest Institute of Botany, and became today’s Northwest A&F University, jointly constructed by the Ministry of Education and the Provincial Government. NWAFU has been entrusted a mission to support and lead the development of modern agriculture in arid and semi-arid areas.

In 2019, the Ministry of Education and other six provincial ministries and bureaus jointly issued guidelines to further support NWAFU to accelerate its construction of world-class agricultural university, endowing new opportunities to NWAFU.

The past eighty years since the university’s establishment have witnessed  generations of its faculty and students staying committed to the philosophy of “managing state fundamentals, solving civilian livelihood, and respecting scientific research” and practicing the university motto of “Sincerity, Simplicity, Bravery and Perseverance”. Inheritingthe ambition of Hou Ji from time immemorial and practicing “Farming Teaching” in modern way, NWAFU has formed the spirit of “taking root in Yangling, giving prime concern to the country, fully engaging in the solution of the Three Rural Issues, braving hardships and pursuing excellence” and the culture of “unity, truth-seeking, tenacity and self-confidence”. The university persists in close integration of production-learning-research, and have made significant contributions to China’s agricultural modernization and scientific research.

NWAFU has 27 colleges (departments, institutes) and postgraduate schools, 14 mobile post-doctoral stations, 16 first-level disciplines for Doctorate Degree Granting, 27 first-level disciplines for Master Degree Granting, 1 Doctorate Degree Granting category, 17 Professional Master Degree Granting category, and 74 undergraduate programs. The university boasts 7 state key disciplines and 2 national priority (cultivating) disciplines. Ten disciplines including Agricultural Science, Plant and Animal Science, Engineering, Environmental Science and Ecology, Chemistry, Biology and Bio-Chemistry, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Molecular Biology & Genetics, Microbiology, and Geoscience ranks in the top 1% ESI disciplines worldwide. Agricultural Science, Plant and Animal Science are among the global top 1%. At present, it has developed into an agricultural university with the most complete agricultural, forestry and aquatic disciplines in China.