The Agricultural Institute was opened in Kutaisi in 1952. In 1959 it was moved to Sukhumi, Abkhazia, an area with a subtropical climate, and renamed the Georgian Subtropical Agricultural Institute (GSAI). It prepared agronomists, mechanical engineers, and agricultural economists for employment in the subtropical zones of the former USSR. With extensive facilities, the institute served students from all over Europe, Asia, and Africa. After the War in Abkhazia (1992–1993) the university transferred operations back to Kutaisi. In spite of these difficulties the university successfully passed its accreditation process.