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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: Forestry × Author: Shaji, M × End date: 2019 × Start date: 2015 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Spatio-temporal patterns in human-wildlife conflict in Kerala
    (Department of Wildlife Sciences College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 2018) Shaji, M; KAU; Nameer, P O
    The human-wildlife conflict (HWC) data for the period from 2006 to 2016 collected from the State Forest Department was analyzed in a GIS software – QGIS ver. 2.18. Asian Elephant was found to be involved in 47.7 per cent of the HWC incidences in Kerala, followed by Wild Boar (23.3 %) and Bonnet Macaque (17.3 %). 81 per cent of the conflict incidences occur in the Forest Divisions towards north of Palakkad Gap in Western Ghats. 64 per cent of the HWC incidences were reported from the three Fds in Wayanad District alone. High level of fragmentation of forest ecosystems, changes in cropping pattern, decreasing tolerance level of people towards wildlife, etc. may be contributing to high level of HWC incidences in North Kerala. HWC data of all the Forest Divisions (FD) were analyzed with geospatial tools and presented as heat maps, which depicts the spatial concentration of HWC incidences. Temporal variation of the HWC incidences was also analyzed and found that conflicts involving herbivores are higher during the months from June to December. Heat maps were generated for the villages with high incidences of HWC in Mannarkkad and Thrissur FDs. In Mannarkkad FD, Padavayal, Pudur and Kottathara Villages together experience nearly 50 per cent of the HWC incidences. Asian Elephant contributes to 79.9 per cent of the HWC incidences in this Division, followed by 9.1 per cent of Wild Boar and 6.5 per cent of Leopard. In Thrissur Forest Division, villages like Peechi and Mannamangalam only are exposed to conflicts by Asian Elephant, which accounts for ten per cent of the HWC in this Division. However, Wild Boar is involved in 53.1 per cent of the conflicts in this Division. Conflicts involving Wild Boar are high in villages like Pilakkad, Thonnurkkara, Varavoor, etc. Decadal changes in land use land cover was studied and found that there was a very high increase in the area under kharif crop in Mannarkkad FD. Within the villages with high intensity of conflict in this Division, a very high increase in the area under kharif crop is observed. In Thrissur FD also the area under kharif crop is increased in all the villages with high conflict intensity. The preventive measures adopted in Mannarkkad FD are elephant-proof trench and solar fencing. Elephant-proof trenches are dug at Pudur Village in Attappady Forest Range in less than a kilometer. Two to three year old solar fences only are maintained well and found to be functional. The solar fences installed during 2010 are completely damaged and not functional. The solar fences installed currently in this FD are not sufficient to contain the HWC incidences. No preventive measures were adopted in Thrissur Forest Division to prevent the HWC incidences. However, solar electric fences were installed in Peechi and Mannamangalam villages in Pattikkad Forest Range in 2016 along the boundary of the forests for a length of 20 km. More than 60 per cent of the respondents in Mannarkkad and Thrissur Forest Divisions, support the wildlife protection activities due to various reasons. The respondents had a low satisfaction level in Mannarkkad (57.8 per cent) and Thrissur (92.3 per cent) FD on the compensation pattern of Government. However, quick compensation was suggested by 39.7 per cent of the respondents in Mannarkkad FD and 43.8 per cent in Thrissur FD. 88.6 per cent of the respondents in Mannarkkad FD and 74.4 per cent of the respondents in Thrissur FD agree that among the government agencies, Kerala Forest Department is prompt in responding to the HWC related issues. A timely response from the Forest Department officials in reaching the conflict locations and quick release of compensation for the affected individuals will improve the tolerance level of people towards wildlife.