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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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20171
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Subject: Agricultural Statistics and Informatics × Author: Muhammed Jaslam, P K × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Statistical models for profit maximization of homesteads in Kerala
    (Department of Agricultural Statistics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2017) Muhammed Jaslam, P K; KAU; Brigit Joseph
    The research programme entitled „Statistical models for profit maximization of homesteads in Kerala‟ was carried out with the objectives of examining and developing statistical models for homestead farming systems in the southern and south central laterite agro-ecological units (AEU8 and AEU9) of Thiruvananthapuram district and to suggest suitable cropping/farming system models that maximize farm income by the optimal use of available resources. The study was based on the primary data. The relevant data from forty randomly selected homesteads of almost similar cropping systems and having area 0.1 ha to 0.3 ha from two panchayaths (Kulathoor and Karode) of AEU8 and same number of homesteads from two panchayaths (Anad and Vembayam) of AEU9 was collected using a well- structured pre-tested interview schedule. Statistical tools such as ratios, percentages and frequencies were applied to socio-economic variables and descriptive statistics were worked out to summarize homestead characteristics. It was found that 43.75 per cent of the respondents belonged to the middle aged category having secondary and higher secondary level of education (47.5%) with an annual income less than ₹4 lakhs (77.5%) and having median family size of 5. Only 12.5 per cent and 17.5 per cent of the respondents in AEU8 and AEU9 had agriculture as main source of income while majority had agriculture as subsidiary income in both agro-ecological units. Majority of the homesteads in AEU8 and AEU9 were semi-irrigated. The average size of homesteads was 0.18 ha and 0.21 ha in AEU8 and AEU9 respectively. The selected homesteads followed coconut based cropping system and comprised of other thirty eight enterprises falling under the groups namely tubers, commercial crops, spices and condiments, stimulants, fruits, vegetables, livestock and poultry. The selected coconut based homesteads were grouped into three on the basis of cropping/farming system existing in the homesteads (HFS), viz. system-I (S1) consisting of crops alone, system-II (S2) including crops, poultry and goat and system-III (S3) comprising of crops, poultry, goat and livestock. Economics of cultivation including operational cost, gross return, net return and benefit-cost ratio of all enterprises were worked out and the estimated total net return of the existing HFS for an average ( 45 cents) of S1, S2 and S3 was ₹27,596/-, ₹55,244/- and ₹1,72,245/- in AEU8 and ₹23,303/-, ₹34,272/-and ₹1,31,516/- in AEU9 (52.5 cents) respectively. The optimum model was developed by using linear programming (LP) technique with the linear objective function Z  c1 x1  c2 x2  ....  cn xn , where x1,x2,...,xn are the variables used to denote the enterprises and c1,c2,...,cn are the unit net return associated to each enterprise. The constraints included in the analysis were total area, intercropped area, investment amount and population of each enterprise. The optimum model was developed by giving more emphasis to safe to eat vegetable cultivation by at least doubling the area under vegetable cultivation over the existing plan and by providing adequate number of coconut palms based on farmer‟s preferences for this enterprise. The optimum model worked out for SI in AEU8 consisted of binding solution for almost all the enterprises except some enterprises like coconut and banana with 25.30 per cent enhancement in net return as compared to net return from the existing plan. The optimum model for S2 HFS was also similar to that of S1 with non-binding solution for coconut and poultry with 31.30 per cent increase in net return. However, the optimum model for S3 HFS had non-binding solution for coconut and banana as compared to the existing model and this provided only13.31 per cent increase in net return. The result of LP for S1, S2, S3 HFS‟s in AEU9 was in accordance to AEU8 with slight difference in the nonbinding enterprises, but the increase in net return based on the optimum model in S1, S2 and S3 was 22.83 per cent, 64.79 per cent and 44.94 per cent respectively. The result of LP indicated that intercropping area was an abundant resource in the optimal plan of all cropping systems. It was also found that even if income from livestock was high, farmers preferred to have the intercrops and allied enterprises which need less management practices and labour. Sensitivity analysis of the optimum model revealed that enhancement of net return in both agro-ecological regions could be achieved by increasing the cropping intensity in the underutilized intercropped area and changing the binding enterprises. The present study developed statistical models for the existing cropping systems in homesteads and LP model suggests that farm income could be further enhanced by growing more number of farmer preferred crops such as tapioca, banana, pepper etc., and by removing the most uneconomical and less important enterprises in the existing plan with due importance to food security