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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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20211
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Subject: Sericulture × Author: Chamuah, Priyanka ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    MUGA CULTURE IN DHAKUAKHANA: AN ALTERNATIVE FARM-BASED SERICULTURAL ACTIVITY FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD
    (AAU, Jorhat, 2021) Chamuah, Priyanka; Borah, Debajit
    The present study was carried out at Dhakuakhana sub-division of Lakhimpur district, Assam with a sample of 160 respondents by following simple random sampling technique to attain the objectives of the study. Appropriate statistical tools viz., frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, weightage mean score, correlation, chi square and multiple regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that majority (48.75 %) of the respondents were in the age group of 36-56 years with primary school level of education (30.00 %) and were belonged to small sized family consisting of 2-4 members (53.75 %) who considered agriculture as their primary source of income (53.75 %). Most of them (70.00 %) had an average annual income between Rs. 1,00,000 to Rs. 2,77,000; most of the respondents (75.00 %) had 3-5 working members in their household and were small farmers with land holding from 1-2 ha (46.25 %). Moreover, majority (50.62 %) of the respondents were having medium level of farming experience between 10- 20 years, medium level of extension contacts and knowledge level on recommended practices of muga (75.62 %) cultivation. Majority of the respondents (75.00 %) did not have membership in farmers’ organization and utilization of communication channel for collecting information was also low for most (40.78 %) of the respondents. Majority of the respondents (58.75 %) had medium level of training exposure and most of them put in their own finance for investment in cultivating muga (55.63 %). Besides these, majority of the respondents (60.00 %) sell their produce through village traders. Most of the muga rearers (58.75 %) exhibited a medium level of extent of adoption of recommended scientific practices of muga. Through multiple regression analysis it was found that age, education, average annual family income, size of operational land holding, farming experience, extension contact and training exposure were the significant factors that influenced the extent of likelihood of adoption of scientific muga rearing practices. The findings suggested that the government should take proper initiatives to help the muga rearers and proper financial, technical, and other supports should be provided to the rearers by the extension agencies, institutions etc. Periodical need-based training should be provided and timely meetings should be made between the rearers and experts to get proper information and solutions. It is imperative to conclude from the study that muga industry is strong enough to establish a distinctive identity in the study area. Muga culture involves simple scientific technology which is easy to understand and adopt. The rearers need to be encouraged towards the adoption of scientific recommended practices of muga to achieve more production and income generation. Thus, the rearers of Dhakuakhana should be made realized about the economic importance of muga and encourage them to consider it as an alternate farm-based plan for their sustainable livelihood.