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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: Jaifaneesa Beegum, A × Author: KAU × End date: 1994 × Start date: 1990 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Impact of integrated child developement services on the nutritional status of preschool children
    (Department of Home Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1990) Jaifaneesa Beegum, A; KAU; Prema, L
    The present study to find out the impact of Integrated Child Development Services on the nutritional status of preschool children was conducted in Trivandrum urban project area which included four project sectors viz. Vallakadavu, Punthura, Paruthikuzhy and Veli. Comparative study was conducted among preschool children who were non- beneficiaries of Integrated child Development Services selected from the same are and socio-economic group, since such data is not available at present. Information regarding the socio-economic background and dietary habits of the families with special reference to the nutritional status of preschool children were collected through weighment, anthropometric, clinical, biochemical and growth monitoring studies. The results of the study showed that majority of the families surveyed in both experimental and control groups were of nuclear type families belonging to the under privileged section of the community, their main occupation were manual labour and fishing. Majority of the adult members in both the groups were found to be illiterates. Majority of the families subsisted below the poverty line and spent more than 60 persent of the family income on food. All the families were habitual non-vegetarians.Rice, tapioca, fish and coconut were found to be the major ingredients in their daily meal pattern. Children in both the groups were found to have unhealthy food preferences like sweets and fried foods. In the experimental group the preference given to children in serving meals may be due to the influence of nutrition education programmes implemented under Integrated Child Development Services Programmes. Results of the food weighment survey indicated that the diets of preschool children in both the groups were inadequate and unbalanced. The consumption of protective food were too low. Calorie consumption in control group of children were unsatisfactory. Since consumption of fish was high in both the groups the availability of proteins in the daily diet were above the recommended Daily Allowance. But in control group this high protein intake become inadequate in the face of calorie inadequacy as protein would be utilized for purpose of providing energy. These observations may therefore be interpreted as indicating that protein deficiency in our preschool children is conditioned to a considerable extent by low intake of calories and that primary bottleneck in the current dietaries of poor Indian Children is not protein but calories. Results of the anthropometric measurements pointed out varying degree of growth retardation in both the groups. Anaemia was the common deficiency symptoms manifested among children of these areas in both the groups. In the control group children, a high incidence of angular stomatitis and dental caries were observed. Growth monitoring for 6 months using growth charts indicated that the mean body weights of preschool children of control group was found to be more but the difference was not statistically significant. All the mothers had sufficient knowledge regarding the various components of Integrated Child Development Services except in the areas of health education and referral services. The attitude of mothers towards the programme revealed that all the mothers had negative attitude towards the method of cooking foods in the anganwadi centres and distribution of medicines for the beneficiaries. Majority of the mothers had not adopted the home production of vegetables and poultry keeping. The lacunae located in the present study as reported by the mothers were inadequate students strength in Anganwadies due to irregular management and indifference of the anganwadi worker, improper timing for supplementary feeding and immunization, lack of play space in Anganwadies, lack of referral services and nutrition and health education classes. From the present study it was clear that in the implementation of the Integrated Child Development Services Programmes all the six different components were not given equal weightage. This stresses the need for giving equal importance to all the six components, frequent visits by auxiliary Nurses and Midwives and other Medical Personnels and for proper supervision by senior field officials, so as to correct the problems located.