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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 Extension × Author: Bhavya, B × Author: KAU × End date: 2009 × Start date: 2000 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Cause-consequence analysis of indebtedness among farmers in pulpally panchayat of wayanad district
    (College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2008) Bhavya, B; KAU; Mothilal, Nehru S
    The agrarian sector in Kerala is facing a crisis unparalleled in its history. Fall in prices, decreasing production and productivity of crops, diminishing soil fertility and irrigation water availability, climatic aberrations, pest and disease attack of crops etc. have resulted in a manifold decline in the financial viability of agriculture. This has in turn led to a steep increase in indebtedness of farmers and increasing number of farmer’s suicides. In this background, the present investigation has been designed to attempt a cause- consequence analysis of indebtedness of farmers. The study was conducted in Pulpally panchayat of Wayanad district where maximum number of farmer’s suicides due to indebtedness were reported. Sixty respondents were randomly selected for the study. A simple severity index was used to rank the causes and consequences of indebtedness and a usefulness index was used to measure the perception of farmers on governmental interventions in resolving the crisis. Majority of farmers belong to medium category as far as socio economic variables like exposure to mass media, extension participation, extension contact, economic motivation, risk orientation, credit orientation, progressiveness, perception of profitability and level of aspiration is concerned. Agriculture was the main source of income for more than 86 per cent of farmers. Nearly 84 per cent of respondents were indebted for less than two lakh rupees. The average amount of loan across the panchayat of Pulpally is Rs. 96,850. The average amount due per acre for entire sample area was Rs. 64,518. The total number of loans taken was 1.63 times higher than the number of respondents. More than 65 per cent of respondents took credit from institutional sources. For respondents the average number of years of being a creditor and defaulter is 6.91 years and 3.11 years respectively. More than 48 per cent respondents used agricultural loan for non agricultural purposes. The factors leading to indebtedness were delineated and arranged in descending order of severity. They are low market price of produce, disease/pest of support, decline in agricultural income, disease of crop, absence of other sources of income, decrease in produce demand, crop failure due to climatic variations, high rate of interest, absence of value addition, misutilization of loans, pest attack of crop, deficiency of irrigation water, decrease in soil fertility, inefficient marketing, low export price. A similar analysis was done on consequences of indebtedness. The descending order of consequences is changes in lifestyle, hunt for alternate jobs, deforestation in holdings, reduction in money on social purposes, selling land, reduction in money spent on recreation, depression, decrease in health consciousness, aggravation of drinking habit, sale of vehicles, adverse impact on education, social isolation, tensions in family, impact on marriages and house construction and maintenance affected. The usefulness of governmental interventions was measured on the basis of perception of farmers and was arranged in decreasing order of importance. They are compensation cash for pepper, interest waiver, Debt Relief Commission, saplings and fertilizers for pepper farmers and NREGS. It was also found that majority of farmers had high levels of stress.