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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 Marketing and Co-operation × Author: KAU × Author: Vijitha, V N × End date: 2009 × Start date: 2000 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    SHG-Bank linkage programme - a study in Thrissur district
    (Department of Rural Banking and Finance Management, College of Co-operation Banking and Management, Vellanikkara, 2008) Vijitha, V N; KAU; Molly, Joseph
    Self Help Groups have been recognized by the policy makers as an effective tool for accomplishing the distributional objectives of monetary policy. The SHG model with bank lending to groups of poor women without collateral has become an accepted part of rural finance. With over 11 million poor households accessing banking services including micro credit through their 29,24,973 SHGs, the SHG-Bank Linkage Programme led by NABARD in India claims to be the largest and fastest growing micro finance programme in the world. The study entitled “SHG – Bank Linkage Programme: A study in Thrissur District” has been undertaken with the objectives of analyzing the level and pattern of utilization of bank finance by the Self Help Group and their members under the SHG- Bank Linkage Programme; to identify the constraints, if any, in the SHG – Bank Linkage Programme: and to make a bank-wise and spatial comparison of the SHG- Bank linkage Programme. Both primary and secondary data have been used for the study. Primary data have been collected from 30 SHGs and 90 members from the three models of SHGs functioning in Thrissur district. Percentages, averages, T- test, Shannon Weaver Diversity Index and ANOVA have been used for the analysis of the data collected. The study has revealed that the average loan amount per member / household is as high as Rs. 15100/- in the case of the SHGs selected, while the national average is only Rs. 2025/-. There is cent per cent utilization of loans of banks by the SHGs and their members. In aggregate, more than 50 per cent of the loans enjoyed by SHG members are utilized for consumption purposes. But when a comparison of the SHGs under different models are considered, it is seen that two – third of the loans of SHGs which are promoted and financed by banks are given for income generating purposes. The least share for income generating activities is from the members of SHGs which are promoted by NGOs. A tendency among SHGs to lend their funds at high rate of interest to outsiders was noticed. This would further bring down the involvement of members in income generating activities in the future. The development of caste and community based sub groups within the SHGs is an undesirable development which has been noticed during the study. The problem of decreasing productive activities was noted, which in future might lead to low repayments. Kendall’s Co-efficient of Concordance has proved that there is perfect agreement among the fifteen banks that ranked the twelve constraints of SHG – Bank Linkage Programme. There is a positive growth in the SHG-Bank linkage programme in the entire six regions taken under consideration. The trend in the physical and financial performance of SHG-Bank linkage programme is positive in all the regions except the central region where adequate up scaling measures are taken by NABARD. Shannon Weaver Diversity Index computed for loan per SHG under the different regions revealed that there was an increased tendency for a uniform disbursal of the loan amount over the three models. The study has brought out the increasing significance of this informal system of financing to bring the poor and unbankable within the reach of a formal banking system. Efforts from the promoters, banks, NABARD and other agencies involved in the promotion and development of SHGs can definitely take our Self Help Groups and their member beneficiaries to still further heights in the future.