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Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur

The history of agricultural education in Kerala can be traced back to the year 1896 when a scheme was evolved in the erstwhile Travancore State to train a few young men in scientific agriculture at the Demonstration Farm, Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram, presently, the Cropping Systems Research Centre under Kerala Agricultural University. Agriculture was introduced as an optional subject in the middle school classes in the State in 1922 when an Agricultural Middle School was started at Aluva, Ernakulam District. The popularity and usefulness of this school led to the starting of similar institutions at Kottarakkara and Konni in 1928 and 1931 respectively. Agriculture was later introduced as an optional subject for Intermediate Course in 1953. In 1955, the erstwhile Government of Travancore-Cochin started the Agricultural College and Research Institute at Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram and the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Mannuthy, Thrissur for imparting higher education in agricultural and veterinary sciences, respectively. These institutions were brought under the direct administrative control of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Animal Husbandry, respectively. With the formation of Kerala State in 1956, these two colleges were affiliated to the University of Kerala. The post-graduate programmes leading to M.Sc. (Ag), M.V.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees were started in 1961, 1962 and 1965 respectively. On the recommendation of the Second National Education Commission (1964-66) headed by Dr. D.S. Kothari, the then Chairman of the University Grants Commission, one Agricultural University in each State was established. The State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) were established in India as an integral part of the National Agricultural Research System to give the much needed impetus to Agriculture Education and Research in the Country. As a result the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) was established on 24th February 1971 by virtue of the Act 33 of 1971 and started functioning on 1st February 1972. The Kerala Agricultural University is the 15th in the series of the SAUs. In accordance with the provisions of KAU Act of 1971, the Agricultural College and Research Institute at Vellayani, and the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, were brought under the Kerala Agricultural University. In addition, twenty one agricultural and animal husbandry research stations were also transferred to the KAU for taking up research and extension programmes on various crops, animals, birds, etc. During 2011, Kerala Agricultural University was trifurcated into Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU), Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) and Kerala Agricultural University (KAU). Now the University has seven colleges (four Agriculture, one Agricultural Engineering, one Forestry, one Co-operation Banking & Management), six RARSs, seven KVKs, 15 Research Stations and 16 Research and Extension Units under the faculties of Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and Forestry. In addition, one Academy on Climate Change Adaptation and one Institute of Agricultural Technology offering M.Sc. (Integrated) Climate Change Adaptation and Diploma in Agricultural Sciences respectively are also functioning in Kerala Agricultural University.

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Subject: Agricultural Economics × Author: Ajmal, S × Author: KAU × End date: 2019 × Start date: 2017 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Mitigating production vulnerability of banana through weather based crop insurance: An economic analysis
    (Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2019) Ajmal, S; KAU; Paul Lazarus
    The research entitled “Mitigating production vulnerability of banana through weather based crop insurance: an economic analysis” was conducted in the Palakkad and Wayanad districts of Kerala during 2017-19. The objectives of the study were to assess vulnerability of agriculture in general and banana farmers in particular to climate change in Palakkad and Wayanad districts. To evaluate economic benefits of Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) for banana farmers and to study the problems and suggest measures for scaling up of WBCIS. Primary data was collected from the farmers of both the districts for the agricultural year 2017-18. Secondary data regarding weather parameters, socio-economic and physiographic factors were collected from various sources. Climate change vulnerability in both districts was assessed by constructing a composite index. It consists of three major component indices: adaptive capacity, sensitivity and exposure and those components were constituted of 27 sub components based on the secondary data collected. The adaptive capacity index, sensitivity index and exposure index obtained for Palakkad district were 0.481, 0.312 and 0.136 and for Wayanad district they were 0.543, 0.345 and 0.166 respectively. The climate change vulnerability index for Palakkad district was 0.322 and for Wayanad it was 0.365. Higher the value of index higher is the vulnerability to climate change. All the indices were more for Wayanad district compared to Palakkad. Same methodology was used to analyse the vulnerability of banana farmers to climate change in the study area. The 14 sub components of vulnerability index were selected based on the primary data collected during the survey. The adaptive capacity index, sensitivity index and exposure index obtained for Palakkad district were 0.618, 0.425 and 0.566 for Wayanad district were 0.622, 0.458 and 0.609 respectively. The vulnerability index obtained for Palakkad was 0.552 and Wayanad was 0.572. The banana farmers in Palakkad district exhibited slightly more vulnerability change when compared to Wayanad districts. To evaluate economic benefits of WBCIS for banana farmers, comparison of was done using cost concepts. At Cost C, insured farmers had incurred more cost (₹ 3,86,021 ha-1) than uninsured farmers (₹3,50,910.06 ha-1). The net returns at Cost C for insured farmers were ₹3,56,261 ha-1 and for uninsured farmers it was ₹3,24,197 ha-1. Insured farmers had 9.89 per cent higher net return at Cost C than uninsured farmers. The BC ratio obtained for insured farmers (2.01) at Cost C were more than that of uninsured farmers (1.92). It was found that the insured farmers were having more economic benefits than uninsured farmers from banana cultivation. The results of Cobb-Douglas production function revealed that R2 value for insured and uninsured farmers was 0.87 and 0.79 respectively, which indicated a good fit. The analysis of allocative efficiency for insured and uninsured farmers revealed that quantity of hired labour, family labour and quantity of manures, fertilizers and soil ameliorants were underutilized. Furthermore, quantity of plant protection materials was overutilized by both categories of farmers. Binary logit regression was fitted to understand the influence of socioeconomic variables on the adoption of WBCIS. From the analysis it was understood that number of years of experience in banana farming had a positive and significant effect, which indicates that the probability of taking insurance increases with increase in the number of years of experience in banana farming. Odds ratio was found as 1.1, meaning that the likelihood of adoption of insurance by more experienced farmers was 1.1 times that of farmers having less experience. Response of insured and uninsured farmers was studied to analyse different aspects associated with WBCIS. Regarding the awareness of insured farmers, majority of farmers were aware about the premium rate and subsidies available, still the overall awareness level was poor. It was found that 51.86 per cent of insured farmers showed involuntary participation in the scheme. Moreover, majority (51.67 per cent) had perception of premium rate as high. Majority of insured farmers expressed willingness to pay only up to 3 per cent of sum insured as premium. About 56.67 per cent of insured farmers were found dissatisfied with the scheme. The financial institution’s compulsion was ranked first among the factors influencing adoption of the scheme. Information from financial institutions was ranked the first as source of information about the scheme among the farmers. Insured farmers unanimously suggested the quick settlement of claims and increase in the indemnity level as a solution to improve the scheme. The main constraint in the adoption of WBCIS was ‘less satisfaction with the indemnity level’ and then ‘lack of awareness about the scheme’. Among the uninsured farmers about 15 per cent farmers adopted the scheme in the previous years. Less indemnity level was the most common reason (75 per cent) for not availing the scheme among the uninsured farmers followed by lack of awareness about the scheme (68.33 per cent). Thus, it can be concluded that Banana farmers in Wayanad district were more vulnerable to climate change compared to Palakkad district. Similar pattern was observed in the vulnerability of agriculture in general to climate change for both districts. WBCIS can be used as a good institutional mechanism for the farmers to adapt to vulnerability due to changes in climate.