Loading...
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.
Browse
3 results
Search Results
ThesisItem Open Access Economics of paddy cum prawn culture in pokkali lands of Ernakulam District(Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1998) Mary Vijaya, K; KAU; Mukundan, KThe present investigation on the economics of paddy cum prawn culture in Pokkali lands of Ernakulam district was undertaken during the year 1995-96. The study focussed on estimation of cost and returns, measuring productivity of farm resources and identifying constraints in paddy cum prawn production. Data for the study was generated through a sample survey of farmers. Two stage sampling technique was adopted for the study with villages as the primary sampling units and prawn farmers as secondary sampling units, selected by random sampling method. The results of the cost structure analysis revealed that the largest single item of cost of operation was land preparation in paddy cum traditional prawn culture; and in paddy cum improved prawn culture, intercultural operations required the highest expenses. Among the explicit costs, labour accounted the highest share in paddy cum traditional prawn production and cost of materials was the most important item in paddy cum improved prawn production. Classwise analysis showed that cost A1, cost A2, cost BI, cost B2, cost C1 and cost C2 per hectare in class I were Rs.17490.43, Rs.l7490.43, Rs.17604.95, Rs.25104.95, RS.18591.53 and Rs.26091.53 respectively. In class II, these costs were Rs.21421.30, Rs.21421.30, Rs.21530.10, Rs.29030.10, Rs.23434.27 and Rs.30934.27. In class Ill, corresponding costs were Rs.25942.78, Rs.25942.78, Rs.16063.88, Rs.33563.88, RS.28646.63 and Rs.36146.63. In class IV, the costs were worked out to be Rs.39321.78, Rs.39321.78, Rs.39492.17, Rs.46992.17, Rs.41314.60 and Rs.48814.60 respectively. In class V, these costs were Rs.55782.10, Rs.55782.10, Rs.55950AI, Rs.63450AI, Rs.59433.92 and Rs.66933.92 respectively. For class VI, these costs were estimated to be Rs.79121.36, Rs.79121.36, Rs.79284.25, Rs.86784.25, RS.84700A2 and RS.92200A2 respectively. The average yield from main products of paddy and prawn were 2138.59 kg/ha and 385.25 kg/ha respectively. In class II their yields were 2189.30 kg/ha and 498.67 kg/ha respectively, while in class III the yields estimated to be 2211.25 kg/ha and 655.92 kg/ha from paddy and prawn. The yield obtained from paddy and prawn were 2143.33 kg/ha and 553.20 kg/ha respectively in class IV, and 2174.90 kg/ha and 865.21 kg/ha respectively in class V. In class VI the yield estimated to be 2272 kg/h~ and 1246.26 kg/ha from paddy and prawn respectively. Benefit-cost ratios based on cost A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 for class I were 1.56, 1.56, 1.54, 1.08, 1.46 and 1.04. In class II, benefit-cost ratios based on these costs were 1.61, 1.61, 1.60, 1.18, 1.47 and 1.12 respectively. For class Ill, benefit-cost ratio were 1.65, 1.65, 1.64, 1.27, 1.50 and 1.19 respectively. In class IV, these were computed to be 1.68, 1.68, 1.67, 1.40, 1.60 and 1.35 respectively, while for class V, these ratios were 1.74, 1.74, 1.73, 1.53, 1.63 and1.45. In class VI, they were estimated to be 1.75, 1.75, 1.74, 1.59, 1.64 and 1.50 respectively based on corresponding costs. The income measures in relation to different cost concepts such as gross income, farm business income, family labour income and net income at cost C1 in class I were Rs.27238.69, Rs.9788.26, Rs.2133.74 and RS.8647.16. These measures were Rs34510.17, Rs.13088.87, Rs.5480.07 and Rs.lI075.90 in class H. In class III they were computed as RsA2912.36, Rs.16964.58, RS.9348A8 and Rs.14265.73. For class IV these income measures were worked out to be Rs65941.55, Rs.26619.77, Rs.18948.38 and Rs.24626.95. In class V, the corresponding figures were Rs.96984.45, Rs.4l200.35, RS.33532.04 and Rs.37548.53 respectively. These incomes were Rs.138544.08, Rs.59422.72, Rs.51759.83 and RS.53843.66 in class VI respectively. Production function analysis was carried out using Cobb-Douglas production function seperately for paddy cum traditional prawn production and paddy cum improved prawn production on per farm and per hectare basis. Per farm estimates of production function for paddy cum improved prawn production revealed that the regression coefficient of only one independent variable, viz., area, was estimated to be positive and significant. The production elasticity of labour, seed, feed, eradicants and manures were found to be positive but non-significant. Analysis of per hectare estimates of production function showed that elasticities of production for labour and seed were negative and non-significant. In both per farm and per hectare functional analysis the two dummy variables and also the intercept of the function were found to be significant which indicate that paddy cum 3 crops of improved prawn culture is more profitable than paddy cum for I and 2 crops of Improved prawn culture. Regarding paddy cum traditional prawn culture per farm estimates of the functions revealed that only the regression coefficient of area was found to be positive and significant. The elasticities of production of labour and seed were estimated to be negative and non-significant. Per hectare estimates of the function revealed that the production elasticity of labour was found to be negative and non- sigrnficant. The production elasticity of seed was found to be significant with negative sign which indicates over use of this input. In both per farm and per hectare functional analysis, the two dummy variables and the intercept of the function found to be significant which indicates the paddy cum 3 crops of traditional prawn culture IS more profitable than paddy cum 1 or 2 crops of traditional prawn culture. Non-availability of labour and their increased cost formed the major constraint to both paddy cum improved prawn culture and paddy cum traditional prawn culture. Problem of submergence followed by higher price of inputs and salinity and acidity were the next important constraints in paddy cum traditional prawn culture. Non-availability of prawn seed/fry followed by submergence and high cost of inputs formed second, third and fourth important constraints in paddy cum improved prawn culture. Salinity and acidity formed the fifth important constraint in the case of paddy cum improved prawn culture.ThesisItem Open Access Rural unemployment in Palakkad district(Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1998) Pradeep, K S; KAU; Radhakrishnan, VThe study was carried out in Palakkad district during the agricultural year 1994-95 to assess the magnitude of unemployment of various types and to bring out a detailed socio-economic profile of the unemployed. Data for the study was generated through a sample survey using multistage random sampling technique. Suitable statistical techniques were employed in the analysis of data. The economic status of family members indicated that the maximum number of earners per household was in Alathur taluk which was 3.2 per cent and the least in Ottappalam taluk which was only 2.7 per cent. It was found that 64.67 per cent of the total population was the potential labour force and 85.26 per cent of the potential labour force were working. The labour force participation rate was 92.90 per cent and 77.33 per cent for males and females respectively. The occupational status of working population revealed that about 60 per cent of the total working labour force had agriculture as their primary occupation. It was also revealed that 69.40 per cent of the working population had one or other type of secondary activity. The results on the kind and extent of unemployment showed that 14.95 per cent of the total labour force were unemployed and this ranged from 7.8 per cent in males to 22.67 per cent in females. Results on underemployment showed that the underemployment was highest among female cultivators which accounted to 212.27 days and the lowest among males in trade and commerce which was only 1.96 days. The results on seasonal unemployment revealed that cultivators, agricultural labourers and those in construction industries were affected by this. The study also revealed that the real problem in rural area is not one of unemployment but of underemployment and the main cause of this underemployment is the seasonal nature of agriculture.ThesisItem Open Access Institutional credit supply and repayment behaviour of farmers in Kerala: a policy persepective(Division of Agricultural Economics, I A R I, New Delhi, 1998) Sathees Babu, K; KAU; Singh, R PCapital has been one of the most limiting factors in crop production in India. Hence, institutional credit was evolved in India from the angle of liberating farmers from the clutches of private moneylenders by providing cheap, adequate and timely source of credit. With the advent of the high- yielding varieties programme, credit was expected to play the role Of production enhancement through the adoption of the modern technology. The credit policy in India had given special emphasis in giving preference to the small and marginal farmers and agricultural labourers in providing institutional credit. Kerala ranked first among the Indian states with regards to the growth in the flow of production credit. However, the increased flow of institutional credit at concessional rates was accompanied by many related issues such as inadequacy, misutilization and diversion of loan, lack of timeliness in credit delivery and high credit transaction costs. The mounting overdues level of the credit institutions has been a matter of growing concern, which has directly or indirectly influenced the repayment behaviour of the borrowers. It is in this context that the present study attempted to examine the institutional credit supply and repayment behaviour of farmers in Kerala. The specific objectives of the study were : 1. to examine the growth in credit institutions, their disbursement and recovery performance in Kerala 2. to study the economic characteristics of the borrowers and the extent of their credit need in crop production 3. to examine the pattern of credit supply, timeliness. repayment behaviour and overdues of the borrowers. and 4. to identify the factors influencing the overdues in order to screen the potential defaulters and suggest suitable policy prescription. Kottayam district in Kerala was purposively selected for the study because he district topped in the institutional credit disbursal to agriculture. Among the eleven blocks in the district, Madappally block was chosen for detailed investigation because of the higher target, achievement and credit absorption capacity with regards to crop loans. Finally, a cluster of four villages, viz., Changanasserry. Madappally, Trikkodithanurn and Vazhappally were selected based on concentration of lending, and a total of 160 crop loan borrowers were selected by stratified random sampling. Primary as well as secondary data were used for examining the objectives of the study. The time series data on agency-wise disbursal of credit to agriculture was collected from the State Level Bankers' Committee, Trivandrum to study the growth in the functioning of the credit institutions in the state. Primary data on the various aspects of credit at the household level were collected through personal interview of the sample respondents with the help of a pre-tested, structured survey schedule. The secondary data pertained to the period from 1985-86 to 1996-97. The primary data pertained to the agricultural year 1996-97. The economic characteristics of the borrowers like farm size and family composition, educational status. size group status, farming status, investment pattern on capital assets, cropping pattern, working capital requirements, gross income, gross margin and overdues level were examined by tabular analysis. Compound growth rates were worked out in nominal as well as real terms to study the growth in the functioning of the credit institutions in terms of number, deposits, advances and recovery levels. Production function analysis was carried out, using the Cobb-Douglas production function, to analyse the resources productivity among the various borrower groups and their allocative efficiencies were compared. Frequency distribution analysis was carried out to quantify the farmers' perception to different dimensions of credit. The factors influencing the repayment behaviour of crop loan borrowers were examined using a logit model based on logistic cumulative distribution function. Growth in Credit Institutions, Disbursement and Recovery Performance in Kerala The commercial banks were the major purveyors of agricultural credit in Kerala, accounting for more than half of the total credit disbursed to the farm sector. They could achieve a high growth rate in deposit mobilisation and credit delivery through the proliferation of their branches in the state during the eighties and the early nineties. On the other hand, the growth in lending by the cooperatives appeared to be less attractive than that of other financial institutions. The relative share of the cooperatives in agricultural lending has been declining over the years. This amounted to a role reversal considering the major role visualised for the cooperatives in the multi-agency credit prpgramme in rural lending. The inter-regional and inter-temporal variations in the flow of all forms of institutional• credit, resulted in regional imbalances in credit delivery. Inter-regional differences existed in credit deepening also. Eventhough the state received a high credit receipt of Rs. 2027 per hectare of cropped area, only the districts of Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Kozhikkode, Wayanad and Kollam experienced credit deepening in real terms. The recovery of overdues to demand has been fluctuating from year to year. On an average, the financial institutions in the state had an overdues of 23 per cent to demand, with a loan recovery rate of 77 per cent. The recovery performance of the PACSs were better (79 per cent) than that of the commercial banks and regional rural banks (68 per cent) on account of the peer group pressure exerted by their democratic mode of management. Economic Characteristics of the Borrowers and the Extent of Their Credit Need in Crop Production There was not much pronounced variation in the size of family, gender composition, experience in farming, educational status, size group composition and cropping intensity among the defaulter and non-defaulter group of farmers. However, the average size of operational holdings, share of irrigated area, share of cash crops in the cropping pattern, investment on fixed assets, and intensity of modern input use of the non-defaulter borrowers were higher than that of the defaulter borrowers. The resource productivity varied widely among the borrower groups. Production of major crops like paddy, coconut, banana and rubber were labour intensive, and they utilised the labour resource more productively. The better managerial skills of the non-defaulter borrowers helped them in harnessing higher yield and thereby higher gross profit. They depended more on agriculture for the gross income (69 and 51 percentage of shares respectively), and hence placed more importance on maintaining better customer relationship with the credit institutions. On an average, 88 per cent of the non-defaulter borrowers were the small and marginal farmers while 94 per cent of the defaulter borrowers formed small and marginal farmers. It amply illustrated the free access of small and marginal farmers to institutional form of credit, thereby indicating the effectiveness of the agricultural credit policy that placed greater thrust on progressive improvement in accessibility of credit and inputs to the small and marginal farmers. However, the estimation of the working capital requirement and comparison with the scale of finance showed that it fell short of the credit needs of the farmers, particularly that of the small and marginal farmers. It underlined the need for working out the scale of finance in a more realistic and scientific manner, keeping the production requirements of the farmers in the area. Pattern of Credit Supply, Timeliness, Repayment Behaviour and Overdues of the Borrowers The analysis of the pattern of credit supply showed that not only the scale of finance was inadequate with respect to the credit needs of the borrowers, there was widespread credit rationing practised by both commercial banks and PACSs from the level of approved scale of finance as well. This led to acute shortage in working funds among all the categories of borrowers who were driven to the private moneylenders to meet the shortfalls. Thus, the basic objective of providing institutional credit to wean away the cultivators from the clutches of village moneylenders was defeated. While 10 per cent of the non-defaulters depended on non-institutional sources of fund to meet the short fall caused by credit rationing, it was as high as 35 per cent in the case of defaulters. Another interesting finding that emerged out of the analysis was the disbursal of kind components in proportions lower than the norm prescribed by the scale of finance. There was considerable delay in the disbursal of credit to the farmers by all sources of institutional credit to the farmers. However, the delay was more pronounced in the case of cooperative lending. It resulted in agricultural illusion among the borrowers, who indulged in the diversion of loan availed for agricultural production at concessional rate of interest for other non-productive purposes. The extent of diversion was more in the case of defaulters than the non- defaulters. The credit acquisition cost of the defaulters were also higher than that of the non-defaulters. The defaulters had to spend nearly Rs. 15/- for transacting Rs. 100/- as loan while the non-defaulters could transact a loan amount of Rs. 100 for Rs. 13/-. The commercial banks could ensure credit to its borrowers at a lower credit transaction cost than the cooperatives. The cooperatives could not dispense cheaper loans to its member borrowers in spite of their interest subsidy facility. The repayment obligation of the non-defaulter borrowers were higher than that of the defaulters, indicating the higher volume of credit made available to them. They could generate higher repayment capacity also, thereby having a higher financial surplus after debt servicing. The analysis also revealed that more than half of credit delinquency was due to wilful default. Among the factors perceived by the borrower farmers that influenced their non-repayment decision, crop failure and diversion of loan for non- productive purposes were the most important one. The agricultural debt relief scheme, 1989 had given an impression of similar loan write-offs in future also, thereby vitiating the recovery climate. Factors Influencing the Overdues and Screening the Potential Defaulters The analysis of the factors influencing the repayment behaviour of crop loan borrowers using logistic regression showed that the repayment behaviour of the borrowers were conditioned by a host of factors like operational expenses, per capita consumption expenditure, loan amount, amount diverted to non-productive uses and credit acquisition cost. There were differences in the economic characteristics and their relative importance in influencing the repayment behaviour among the borrowers of commercial banks and cooperatives. Higher share of cash crops in the cropping pattern resulted in better recovery of commercial bank loans whereas the experience in institutional credit, loan amount diverted for other purposes resulted in lower recovery. On the other hand, the per capita consumption expenditure resulted in better recovery of cooperative credit. Higher credit acquisition cost, more delay in credit delivery, more advanced age and more educational status contributed to lower repayment of cooperative loans. The farmers perception of improving the recovery performance of credit institutions also showed that there were differences in the factors influencing the repayment behaviour of borrowers of commercial bank and PACSs. The borrowers of PACSs viewed that timeliness in credit disbursal, l.V":' followed by the adequacy of loan amount and lower interest rates were the more important factors influencing their repayment decision. The borrowers of commercial banks, on the other hand perceived that the adequacy of loan amount, followed by the timeliness in credit supply and proper supervision of loans improved the recovery performance. Rigid formalities in credit transaction was the most important limiting factor faced by borrowers while dealing with the financial institutions. Cumbersome procedures and pre-occupation with paper works were other factors that made the agricultural banking less customer-friendly to the borrower farmers. Policy Implications Based on the insights provided by the study, the following policy measures are being suggested that could make the crop loan scheme more efficient and meaningful. Firstly, in view of the regional imbalances in credit delivery, concerted efforts are required to reduce the regional imbalances in credit delivery in the different districts of the state. Secondly, the cooperatives played only a supplementary role to the commercial banks in credit dispensation to the agricultural sector. Keeping in view of the democratic nature of cooperative credit, they are to be revitalised and geared to play the major role in the multi-agency approach in agricultural finance. Thirdly, the small and marginal farmers were receiving inadequate credit matching to their credit requirement. Policy interventions are needed to correct credit gaps so created. Scale of finance shall also be evolved in a more realistic and scientific manner to meet the credit needs of the farmers, particularly that of the small and marginal size groups adequately. Fourthly, credit rationing practiced by the financial institution defeated the very purpose of weaning the farmers away from the clutches of village moneylenders. Hence, policy perspectives need to be farmed to overcome this pitfall. Fifthly, considering the higher incidence of diversion of production credit to non-productive purposes, effective supervision and followup of loans are needed to keep agricultural illusion at minimal levels. Lastly, the practices and procedures followed by the financial institutions were cumbersome and rigid. It needs simplification to offer more customer –friendly banking facilities to the farmer borrowers.