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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: Extension Education × Author: KAU × End date: 2022 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.V.Sc. ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Training needs of dairy farm instructors of the dairy development department of Kerala
    (Department of Extension, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2003) Vimal Raj Kumar, N; KAU; Jiji, R S
    The objectives of the study were to identify the training needs of the Dairy Farm Instructors (DFls) of Dairy Development Department of Kerala and find out the determinants of their training needs. The data were collected through questionnaires to which 75 DFls responded. Information technology was the most preferred major subject matter domain for training followed by milk and milk products, dairy cattle production and management, dairy extension, professional management and I fodder production and management. Among the socio-personal characteristics, the training exposure and role perception of the respondents had significant relationship with the training need. Both the role perception and training need of most of the respondents were medium only. For all the domains, institutional type of training as well as trainers from outside the parent organization but within the state were preferred the most. Demonstration was the most preferred method of training for most of the domains. The most preferred periodicity for the trainings of one to seven days duration was six months, those of eight to fourteen days was one year and those of fifteen to thirty days and more than a month was more than a year. The duration preferred the most for short-term trainings was one to seven days and that for long-term trainings was fifteen days to one month. Further, an equal percentage of theory and practical training sessions was preferred for all the domains except milk and milk products and information technology for which more practical sessions were preferred. The training institutes within Kerala were the most preferred venue tor training in all the major domains except milk and milk products in which selected premier institutes outside Kerala were preferred the most. All the training programmes for DFIs organised by the parent organization from 1997 onwards were rated as either relevant or somewhat relevant by the respondents.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Work environment of the veterinary surgeons of Thrissur district for extension activities under panchayati raj
    (Department of Extension, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2003) Shubhangi Baburao, Tajne; KAU; Rajkamal, P J
    The veterinary surgeons, as part of their roles, performing extension work under Panchayati Raj, were studied to under stand the work environment as well as to explore the relationship between the perception of the work environment and commitment to PRI. A total of 103 veterinary surgeons of the AHD, and working in Thrissur district of Kerala state formed the sample. As tools of the study, questionnaires, interview schedules, and group interviews were used. The results indicated veterinary surgeons' general dissatisfaction with the prevailing work environment to perform extension work. To be specific, except for the dimension interpersonal and client relation, all others were found to be relatively lesser- satisfied ones, the lowest ranked dimension being responsibility and risk taking. Moreover, those fully satisfied in the job were not even one-fifth of the total studied, and those satisfactorily committed to PRI, only a little above one-fifth. The dimensions, communication, services and supplies, peoples' participation and local leadership, work distribution and team work as well as planning and execution of projects were positively and significantly correlated with commitment to PRI. Therefore, these were more important dimensions of work environment from the perspective of commitment to PRI. Evenso, the dimensions services and supplies as well as work distribution and teamwork were much more important, since both contributed positively and significantly to the variability in commitment to PRI. ~ Force field analysis revealed that the only weak driving force to be lack of . enough youth and woman participants in animal husbandry development projects. The most important solution suggested to strengthen this force was implementing more of viable self-employment projects that could attract youth and woman increasingly into the development process. But there were more of strong inhibiting forces namely delayed clearance of projects, delayed funding, delayed beneficiary identification, defective beneficiary identification, lack of proper arrangement for training development staff, panchayat authorities' inability in decision making, hasty implementation of projects, resources could not be made available to people at fight time, political polarization, inadequate monitoring, inadequate evaluation, and inadequate follow up of programmes, and the respective most important solutions mooted were timely allocation of funds, removing the delay in treasury transaction, more publicity for Gramsabha, selecting beneficiaries based on their felt needs, a befitting training curriculum, guiding the panchayat authorities by technically qualified people, timely clearance of projects, timely allocation of funds, a common development agenda, carrying out monitoring in a phased manner, including technical persons in the evaluation committee, and the need for market linked comprehensive projects. The understanding gained in the present study could enable decision making in streamlining the new model ofPanchayati Raj as well as AHD.