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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: Jinraj, P V × Author: KAU × End date: 1997 × Start date: 1997 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Socio-economic status of traditional fisherfolk in kerala - a study in Thiruvanathapuram District
    (Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1997) Jinraj, P V; KAU; Raviraman, K
    The study, "Socio-economic status of traditional fisherfolk in Kerala - A study in Thiruvananthapuram district" was undertaken with the following objectives. 1. To understand the present socio-economic status of the traditional fisherfolk in Kerala with particular emphasis on the income and expenditure pattern of the community concerned. 2. To analyse the levels of living of the fisherfolk with respect to food intake, shelter, educational status and sanitary conditions. Thiruvananthapuram, which is one of the districts with the highest fishermen population in the State, was selected for the study. From Thiruvananthapuram district Vizhinjam and Anjuthengu villages were selected due to their larger size compared to the other fishing villages and variation in fishing activity. A sample size of 50 traditional fisherfolk families from each village was selected using stratified random sampling technique, taking motorised and non-motorised fisherfolk families as two strata. A well structured and pre-tested questionnaire, was used for collecting data from the selected sample households. Data collected was analysed using suitable statistical tools such as mean, percentage analysis, correlation coefficient and regression analysis. The variables used in the study included general information on households, educational level, employment status, income and expenditure pattern, extent of credit availed and indebtedness, food intake, health status, housing conditions, social participation and other relevant characteristics which are useful in measuring the socio- economic status of a household. The study revealed that the average family size of the fisherfolk was 5.19. It was 5.58 in Vizhinjam village and 4.8 in Anjuthengu village. It was also seen that the majority of the fishermen under study were in the age group of 21-35 years. The female to male ratio was found to be 784 females for 1000 males. Landless fisherfolk families constituted 37 per cent and among land owners 55 per cent had less than 5 cents of land. The literacy rate of the fisherfolk was found to be 63 per cent in which males had a lower literacy rate (53 %) than females (68 %). It was noted that about 85 per cent of the workforce in the study area were engaged in fishing and about 14.41 per cent were engaged in fish vending. The average monthly income of a fisherfolk family was found to be Rs. 1918.94. In Vizhinjarn village it worked out to be Rs. 2160.20 as against Rs. 1677.68 in Anjuthengu village. Of the total monthly household expenditure, 62.52 % was spent on food, 12.52 % on arrack and 8.5 % on fuel and lighting. The percentage expenditure on betel chewing, clothing, medicinal purposes and recreation were 7.58 %, 4.24 %,2.11 % and l. 92 % respectively. The expenditure on education was observed to be very meager. It was revealed from the study that the fisherfolk were mainly utilising money lenders for availing credit. The majority of the loans availed were used for production purposes such as the purchase of fishing equipment (54%) and fish vending (5.3%). About 19.5 % of loans were used for marriage purposes and the rest for home consumption and for other purposes. The household food consumption pattern showed that the cereal food consumption was 45% of the total requirement. They consumed large quantities of fish. It was also observed that the intake of vegetables other than tubers, milk and fat and oils were inadequate when compared to the recommendations of the ICMR. The intake of pulses was found to be very meagre. It was revealed that 12 % of the fisherfolk families did not own houses and lived in houses belonging to their friends or relatives. •It was also noticed that 54% of the families resided in huts, 24% in pucca houses, 2% in concrete houses and one per cent in asbestos house. It was also seen that 65 % of the wage earners lived in huts. About sixty nine per cent of the houses were non-electrified and about 76 % did not have a latrine. Among the total fisherfolk respondents selected for the study only 15% utilised news papers as sources of information. Respondent s utilising television and radio were 9% and 17% respectively.