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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: Home Science × Author: Archana, S S × Author: KAU × End date: 2008 × Start date: 2000 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Prevalence of hypertension and assesment of risk factors among agricultural labourers
    (Department of Home Science, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2008) Archana, S S; KAU; Indira, V
    A study on “Prevalence of hypertension and assessment of risk factors among agricultural labourers” was carried out among male and female labourers of Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur district. A total of 150 agricultural labourers were selected randomly for the study and were grouped as control (non hypertensive) and experimental groups (hypertensive). The details on socio economic status, personal habits, working pattern, food consumption pattern and nutritional status were collected from the respondents. Information regarding socio economic condition of the families revealed that most of the families in control and experimental groups were Hindus and belonged to forward caste with a family size of 4 to 6 members. Educational status of respondents showed that majority in control and experimental groups were literates. Most of the families in both control and experimental groups owned up to 10 cents of land. Majority of the families in both groups did not have kitchen garden and domestic animals. Monthly income of the families in both groups varied from Rs. 4000 to 10, 000. Maximum proportion of income was spent on food items. Majority of the families in both groups did not have the habit of saving money for future purposes. Most of the families in both groups borrowed money from different sources. Most of the families in control and experimental groups had their own houses with brick as the wall material and tiles as the roofing material with 2 to 3 rooms. Drinking water, electricity, recreational and lavatory facilities were found to be satisfactory. Majority of the families in both groups used wood as source of fuel. About 24 per cent of the male respondents in control and 64 per cent in experimental groups had the habit of smoking. About 12 to 24 per cent respondents in control group and 46 to 50 per cent of respondents in experimental group had the habit of tobacco chewing. Majority of respondents in both groups did not have the habit of taking regular physical exercise. Majority of the respondents in both groups worked for 6 days in a week for 6 to 7 hours daily. Most of the respondents in both groups were non vegetarians and consumed rice as their staple food. The most frequently used food items were cereals, pulses, other vegetables, milk and milk products, fats and oils, sugar, salt, fish and spices and condiments in control group while in experimental group all the above food items except pulses were found to be the most frequently used food items. Advance meal planning was popular in both groups with three meals a day pattern. Majority of the respondents with hypertension used coconut oil for cooking and used pickle, pappad, dried fish and fried food items daily. None of the respondents neither included nor restricted food to control hypertension. Grade 1 obesity was observed among 27 per cent of respondents in experimental group and 24 per cent in control group. Nearly 22 per cent respondents in experimental group and 16 per cent in control group were found to be at risk for obesity. Most of the male respondents had waist hip ratio less than 0.95 while 84 per cent females in experimental group had a waist hip ratio above 0.85. One day food weighment survey indicated that the mean intake of all food items and all nutrients was lower than the recommended allowances in both male and female respondents. About 53.68 per cent male and 49.8 per cent female agricultural labourers had stage 1 hypertension. Among the respondents with hypertension selected for the study 90 to 98 per cent of respondents also had stage 1 hypertension. Type of family, family size, use of pickle, pappad, fried food items, smoking, tobacco chewing, alcohol consumption, lack of regular physical exercise, personality traits, family history of hypertension, body mass index and waist hip ratio were identified as the risk factors for hypertension among agricultural labourers.