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Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat

Assam Agricultural University is the first institution of its kind in the whole of North-Eastern Region of India. The main goal of this institution is to produce globally competitive human resources in farm sectorand to carry out research in both conventional and frontier areas for production optimization as well as to disseminate the generated technologies as public good for benefitting the food growers/produces and traders involved in the sector while emphasizing on sustainability, equity and overall food security at household level. Genesis of AAU - The embryo of the agricultural research in the state of Assam was formed as early as 1897 with the establishment of the Upper Shillong Experimental Farm (now in Meghalaya) just after about a decade of creation of the agricultural department in 1882. However, the seeds of agricultural research in today’s Assam were sown in the dawn of the twentieth century with the establishment of two Rice Experimental Stations, one at Karimganj in Barak valley in 1913 and the other at Titabor in Brahmaputra valley in 1923. Subsequent to these research stations, a number of research stations were established to conduct research on important crops, more specifically, jute, pulses, oilseeds etc. The Assam Agricultural University was established on April 1, 1969 under The Assam Agricultural University Act, 1968’ with the mandate of imparting farm education, conduct research in agriculture and allied sciences and to effectively disseminate technologies so generated. Before establishment of the University, there were altogether 17 research schemes/projects in the state under the Department of Agriculture. By July 1973, all the research projects and 10 experimental farms were transferred by the Government of Assam to the AAU which already inherited the College of Agriculture and its farm at Barbheta, Jorhat and College of Veterinary Sciences at Khanapara, Guwahati. Subsequently, College of Community Science at Jorhat (1969), College of Fisheries at Raha (1988), Biswanath College of Agriculture at Biswanath Chariali (1988) and Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science at Joyhing, North Lakhimpur (1988) were established. Presently, the University has three more colleges under its jurisdiction, viz., Sarat Chandra Singha College of Agriculture, Chapar, College of Horticulture, Nalbari & College of Sericulture, Titabar. Similarly, few more regional research stations at Shillongani, Diphu, Gossaigaon, Lakhimpur; and commodity research stations at Kahikuchi, Buralikson, Tinsukia, Kharua, Burnihat and Mandira were added to generate location and crop specific agricultural production packages.

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20231
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Subject: Agricultural Economics × Author: Anowar, Tarik × Start date: 2022 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF MINOR MILLETS CULTIVATION IN ASSAM
    (2023) Anowar, Tarik; Baruah, Amvrin
    Assam being the highest producer of minor millets in North-east the present study was conducted to analyse the economic aspects in three districts of Assam viz. Dhubri, Bongaigaon and Barpeta with highest area under cultivation. A total of 120 respondent farmers were selected randomly from three development blocks from each district, comprising two villages from each selected block (total=18 villages). The primary data was collected for the year 2022-2023 through personal interview method with the help of pre-tested structured schedule. Stratified random sampling was employed in the study to select the respondents adequately to fulfil the objectives. In context with the current scenario of “International Year of Millets-2023” and “Assam Millet Mission”, and India being the highest producer of minor millets, an attempt has been made in the study to analyze the scenario of minor millet cultivation in the region, including types of millet species grown, to estimate the resource use efficiency of the farmers and lastly, to explore the prospects of value addition and constraints associated in cultivation in the study area. The study on socio economic profile of the respondent farmers revealed that the average size of land holding of the sample households was 1.87, 1.43 and 1.78 hectares for the foxtail millet growers, proso millet growers and farmers growing both the millet species respectively. Average area under millet cultivation was 0.45 ha (foxtail), 0.44 ha (proso) and 0.73 ha (both) and cropping intensity was found to be 124 %, 127% and 128%. Average age of respondent farmers revealed by the study was 43.56 years. Adult male constitute 89 % and female constitute 11%. Study also revealed that the literacy rate of among the respondent farmers were 75.83%.The total cost of cultivation for foxtail millet per ha was found to be Rs. 30922.90, proso millet (Rs.30147.03 per ha) and farmers cultivating both millet types were (Rs. 22418.58 per ha) with gross return per ha was reported as Rs. 46246.55, Rs. 52551.98 and Rs. 46246.55, generating a net return of Rs. 15323.64, Rs. 23912.61 and Rs. 20180.64 respectively, resulting the returns per rupee (Benefit-Cost) of 1.50, 1.62 and 2.07 respectively. The commercial cost of cultivation (C3) was found to be Rs. 34015.19/ha for foxtail millet, Rs. 35608.48/ha for proso millet and Rs. 24660.44 /ha for farmers cultivating both millet species. Stochastic Frontier Method (SFA) approach was employed to estimate the resource use efficiency of the farmers and their mean technical efficiency was found to be 0.677 (foxtail millet growers), 0.703 (proso millet growers) and 0.740 (for farmers cultivating both foxtail and proso). Prospects of value addition from minor millets in the study area include preparation of millet rice and flour, ready to eat snacks and beverages, bakery items, weaning foods, etc. The major production constraints (calculated through Garrett Ranking Method) confronted by respondent farmers of the study area were found to be weed infestation, shortage of human labour, high input cost, non-availability of good quality seeds, lack of knowledge of package and practices,etc. Furthermore, constraint associated with value addition and marketing of minor millets were lack of proper market information system and market price, lack of processing facilities, low and fluctuating price of the produce, poor road connectivity to the cultivating area, lack storage facilities, etc. Adequate policy measures by the Government regarding processing and marketing could uplift the minor millet growers in the study area.