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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: Climate Change Adaptation × Author: Akash, S × End date: 2018 × Start date: 2018 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Impact of coastal ocean dynamics on major small pelagic fishery along the west coast of India
    (Academy of Climate Change Education and Research, Vellanikkara, 2018) Akash, S; KAU; Grinson George
    The Arabian Sea is one of the most biologically productive oceanic provinces in the Indian Ocean and it lies between the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent. Distinct peculiarities of the Arabian Sea compared to other low latitudinal oceanic regimes are the seasonal reversal of circulation pattern with respect to the seasonal reversal of prevailing wind. Seasonal occurrence of upwelling and downwelling over the sea describes its annual biological productivity. Eastern Arabian Sea has some pronounced economic importance as compared to the west. Seventy percent of annual fishery production belongs to the eastern Arabian Sea. India has a coastline of 8129 km and west coast of India is the principal eastern boundary of the Arabian Sea. In India, pelagic fishery contributes around fifty-two percentage of annual fishery production. Indian Oil Sardine and Indian Mackerel contributes a major part of pelagic fishery along the Indian coastline. Life history of small pelagic fishes (highly mobile, short lifespan, plankton-based food chain) makes it more responsive to environmental forcing. The catch statistics of Indian Oil Sardine and Indian Mackerel landings along the west coast of India (WCI) are highly fluctuating since 1985. Since this period, Indian Ocean faces many extreme climatic events. Considering the above-mentioned facts as baseline information, the proposed study is focused on the impact of coastal ocean dynamics and environmental forcing on Indian Oil Indian and Indian Mackerel fishery along the south-west coast of India. The present study adopted a Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) model to establish suitable links between upwelling and temperature to pelagic fishery along the south-west coast of India. Also, an attempt has been made to explaining the inter-annual variability of Indian Oil Sardine and Indian Mackerel fishery along the south-west coast of India from 1992 to 2015 based on the MCA. The research also reveals the impacts of climatic events such as El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) on major small pelagic fishery along the south-west coast of India. The Standardized Catch per Unit Effort (SCPUE) along the south-west coast of India from 1985 to 2015 showed a declining trend in Indian Oil Sardine fishery during 1985 to 1999 and after that, an increasing trend was observed from 2000 to 2006. The SCPUE of Indian Oil Sardine was highly fluctuating after 2006 and the highest value was observed during 2013. The analysis of the inter-annual variability of Upwelling Index (Offshore Ekman transport), wind speed and Chlorophyll- a concentration along the shelf waters of the south west coast of India showed an increasing trend from 2000 to 2006 and it is well explained the increasing trend in Indian Oil Sardine fishery during this period. Analysis of Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) and Dipole Mode Index (DMI) revealed the specific influence of climatic events on Indian Oil Sardine fishery along the south-west coast of India especially during 1990 to 1999. During this decade, south-west coast of India was experienced by a declining phase in Indian Oil Sardine fishery and this decade was characterized by more number of climatic events. From 1990 to 2000 five IOD and five ENSO events were occurred and these years were noticeable with the co- occurrence of ENSO and IOD. The trend in SCPUE of Indian Mackerel showed an alternating pattern of abundance with Indian Oil Sardine and a collapse in Indian Mackerel fishery was observed from 2000 to 2006. The ranking of years made by the MCA well explained the inter-annual variability in Indian Oil Sardine fishery and it was not well correlated with Indian Mackerel because the Indian Mackerel showed an alternating pattern of abundance with Indian Oil Sardine. By looking towards the future, the research results and proposed Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) model can be further developed into a multi-variable model for fishery predictions with a perceptive of helping fisher folks.