Anantapur district is the second lowest rainfall receiving district in the country with the total geographical area of 19.13 lakh ha and total cultivated area of 10.16 lakh ha (kharif 8.69 lakh ha. & Rabi 1.47 lakh ha). The normal annual rainfall of the district is 550 mm, out of which 56% is received from S-W monsoon (June – September) and 30% is from N-E monsoon. The major source of soil moisture is rainfall and crop failure is a common phenomenon in this district. The agricultural production is declining due to the effect of climate change and lack of awareness of improved technology among the farming community.

 The soils of Anantapur district comprise of 87.4% red soils, 12.5 of black cotton soils and 0.1% problematic soils.. Most of the farmers in the district are small and marginal farmers (65.2%) holding 50.01% of the total cultivated area followed by medium farmers (32.50%) holding 56.59% of the cultivated area. The area wise distribution of major crops is Groundnut 86%, Rice 3.3 % and other crops 10.7%. The major crop of the district is groundnut, grown in 8.14 lakh ha, in red soils under rainfed conditions.

Until the year 2010 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Reddipalli has sincerely served the farming community of the district by introducing improved technologies.  Keeping in view the larger geographical area of the district and unsuccessful crop yields, the necessity for establishment of another KVK in the Anantapur district of Scarce Rainfall Zone was realized for the benefit of farming community. Accordingly, Smt. Lakshmi Devi Krishi Vigyan Kendra was sanctioned by ICAR Vide Lr.No.5-26/09 AE – II dated 26-07-2010 of Agricultural Extension of ICAR, New Delhi and Proceeding No.Proc.No.77/Exten/A3/2010 dated 27-10-2010 of Director of Extension, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad. It was started on 11^th October 2010.