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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: Boban Paul × End date: 2002 × Start date: 2002 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Adaptation behaviour of vegetable growers in crisis situations
    (Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2002) Boban Paul; KAU; Jose Joseph
    Kerala, the green stretch, in the south west cost of India, is delineated from other states by Western Ghats stretching around six hundred kilometers of its Eastern boundary. These hill ranges creates an exclusive climatic conditions in this land. The soil and whether factors have lead to diversity of plant population and also the crops cultivated here. Like other states of India, the crop loss and consequent economic crises occur in Kerala farming also. However the root causes of the crises are different here compared to other states. There it happens as a results of flood, droughts and storms where in Kerala the economic loss results mainly from pest and disease incidence, land slides etc. Kerala is well known for the production of spices and plantation crops. In last two or three decades the commercial cultivation of vegetables also was started in the state. Still a major portion of state's requirement of vegetables are met by products from neighbouring states. The government through its Department of Agriculture and the Vegetable and Fruits Promotion Council of Kerala are trying to increase vegetable production in the state. It was in this context, the present study was undertaken with the objectives such as identifying the different crisis situations encountered by commercial vegetable growers, identifying the methods of adaptation in these crisis situations, rationality behind those methods of adaptation and finally the perception of commercial vegetable growers about the external intervention of developmental agencies in crisis situation. The study was conducted in Ernakulam district which was a traditional vegetable growing area. More over the activities of Department of Agriculture and vegetable and fruits promotion council of Kerala was in progress for the promotion of vegetable production. A two stage sampling technique was used to select three panchayats for the selection of respondents. From the selected panchayat fifty vegetable growers each were randomly identified and they formed the respondents. Data were collected with the help of a pretested and well structured interview schedule. The crops selected were Bitter gourd (Momordica), Snake gourd (Trichosanthus anguina), Oriental pickling melon (Cucumis melo), Ash gourd (Benincasa hespida), Cowpea (Vigna anguiculata var. sesquipedalis). Data was collected classifying crop wise and season wise. The data regarding methods of adaptation were delineated as anticipatory measures, measures for mitigation and contingent measures. The rationality of the methods of adaptation was studied by the rating from three groups of respondents which included scientist, extension personnel and progressive farmers. An index was developed for measuring the level of adaptation. The salient findings are as follows: The commonly adopted anticipatory measures by farmers to insulate themselves from the impact of a possible economic loss were mixed cropping in vegetables, crop diversification with perennial crops, crop rotation with seasonal crops, crop diversification in annual crops, vocational diversification by other enterprises, vocational diversification by other jobs, adjusting planting time to get yield during high demand season and minimising hired labour by employing maximum family labour. The measures taken by the majority of farmers for mitigating the impact of an already occurred economic loss in a crisis were compensating for the loss with the profit from other crops, loan renewal, obtaining new loans on land and gold mortgage and government subsidies. The unexpected price fall was tackled by the contingent measure of pooling the produce from neighbouring farmers and transporting to distant markets. Majority of the respondents reported that VFPCK was intervening in the crisis situations. Only a minor section of respondents reported that Department of agriculture was making interventions. With regard to effectiveness of interventions majority were of the opinion that both the agencies mentioned above were effective in making interventions. With regard to the level of adaptation, majority of the respondent belonged to the category of medium level of adaptation.