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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: Ananth, C Babu × Author: KAU × End date: 2017 × Start date: 2017 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Inter-annual variability of thermal and chlorophyll fronts in selected parts of Eastern Arabian sea and their relation to marine fishery
    (Academy of Climate Change Education and Research Vellanikkara, 2017) Ananth, C Babu; KAU; Grinson George
    In the marine ecosystem, distribution of fish, as well as abundance, is determined by the presence of conditions favourable for their existence. Among various oceanic features, frontal zones are important sites promoting fish aggregation and these zones are found to be ideal habitats for fish. Therefore, areas with higher incidence of fronts are likely to be associated with higher fish production, than those with lower frontal incidence. An evaluation of this concept based on total thermal/chlorophyll frontal area of the eastern Arabian Sea (50- 80oE; 0 to 30oN), was performed for the period July 2002 to December 2016. This work utilized 8-day averaged satellite Sea Surface Temperature observations (SST) from MODIS/AQUA sensor as well as 8-day averaged satellite chlorophyll a concentration (Chl-a) from the Ocean Colour Climate Change Initiative (OC- CCI) project. Frontal identification was based on Cayula-Cornillon (1992) single- image edge detection algorithm on the satellite SST/Chl-a image in ArcGIS platform. Seasonal variation of thermal fronts showed maximum frontal coverage (0.5 – 0.6 million km2) during the winter period.Thermal fronts have their lowest incidence (0.2 – 0.3 million km2) during post and pre-monsoon period, and moderate existence during the summer monsoon (0.3 – 0.4 million km2). Chlorophyll fronts showed a slightly different pattern with highest frontal coverage (0.5- 0.6 million km2) during winter period followed by pre and post monsoon period (0.4 – 0.5 million km2). Chlorophyll fronts had their lowest incidence (0.2 – 0.3 million km2) during summer monsoon period.Possible physical reasons for the seasonal variation in thermal and chlorophyll front incidence are discussed. Analysis of inter-annual variability of thermal fronts indicated an increasing trend during 2015 and 2016 whereas chlorophyll frontal area showed a sudden drop in values from mid-2012 onwards. During this period, the usual seasonal variation in frontal zones is not observed. The mechanism responsible for this unusual behaviour was also analysed. Spatial variability of frontal zones in the Arabian Sea indicated that the pattern of variability in the west is different from that of the eastern Arabian Sea. The impact of thermal as well as chlorophyll frontal areaon fisheries during the inter-annual cycle is also discussed.