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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: KAU × End date: 1993 × Start date: 1993 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Nutritional status of women engaged in fishvending in Thivandurm district
    (Department of Home Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1993) Karuna, M S; KAU; Prema, L
    The study on the “Nutritional status of women engaged in fishvending in Trivandrum District” comprises of the socio-economic and food consumption pattern of the fisherwomen families with special reference to their actual food intake, energy expenditure and nutritional status. Families surveyed were nuclear type belonging to under privileged communities. Main occupation of the families was fishing and fishvending. Most of the families belonged to the income groups of Rs.1000 to 2000. In these families as the income increased the percentage of income spent on food items decreased. Expenditure on education and health was very low. Male members spent much money for their faulty habits like alcoholism and playing cards. Most of the families were in debts and only women were responsible for the economic management of the families. Index developed from various socio-economic variables revealed that all the families lived below the poverty line. All the families were non-vegetarians and fish was the main nonvegetarian food in their diet. However, consumption of vegetables, pulses, eggs and green leafy vegetables was less due to lack of knowledge about nutritious food. Preparation of food is not upto the standard and this results in the poor quality of the food. Unbalanced, monotonous meal pattern was observed in the community. Compared to other stages of life, special attention was given only during infancy and pre-school period. Besides fishvending women were responsible for household tasks and child care practices. The women got employment for 7 months in a year. Most of the women sold the fish either in the markets in the city or by home to home delivery. Income getting from fishvending was not in proportion to the distance covered. Time spent for fishvending activity was more than the time they spent for other activities. Most of the household activities were combined with fishvending activities. It was found that total time spent for fishvending and household activities was more than 10 hours in a day. Time spent for fishvending activities was positively associated with family income, age of the fisherwomen and income of the fisherwomen. Compared to recommended daily allowance, higher energy expenditure was noticed in all the fisherwomen studied. Majority of the women were below the normal weight. Body Mass Index of the women showed that 33.33 percent suffered from energy deficiency. Nutritional status index was developed from height, weight and body mass index. The index developed ranged from 14.04 to 18.58. A highly significant positive association was observed in between nutritional status index of the women and their height, weight, BMI, Index developed from socio-economic factors and their energy expenditure. Clinical examination of the fisherwomen revealed that 95.33 percent of the women were suffering from any one of the nutritional deficiency disorders. Consumption of food quantity and availability of nutrients from the food were not satisfactory. The nutrients like energy, calcium, iron , retinol, thiamine , niacin and riboflavin and Vitamin C were deficient in their diets. As a result nutritional deficiency symptoms were more prevalent among them. Energy expenditure was more than the intake of energy. Blood constituents like haemoglobin, total protein albumin and Vitamin A were deficient in many of the women studied. From the above findings it was concluded that the nutritional status of the fisherwomen was found to be affected by geographic, environmental and disease factors.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Nutritional status of ICDS (Integrated child development services) beneficiaries with respect to participation
    (Department of Home Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1993) Mary Ukkuru, Pulikkottil; KAU; Prema, L
    A study entitled “Nutritional status of ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) beneficiaries with respect to participation" was carried out' in Malappuram district selecting 170 beneficiaries representing three categories via preschool children, pregnant mothers and lactating mothers and 70 nonbeneficiaries from similar socio-economic background far parnparison. The study enlightened the socio-economic and personal characteristics of the respondents, appraisal of the programme implemented in the area, nutritional status of the respondents through dietary, food consumption, anthropometric, clinical and biochemical parameters, participation index and nutrtianal status index of the respondents, and the interre1 ationhip between participation index and nutritional status index. Major findings Majority of the respondents were from Hindu community. Joint family system with 'small family norm' prevailed in the area. Major expenditure is for food. Beneficiaries had the correct perception about the ICDS programme. Their, highest preference was for supplementary nutrition' and least for referral service. Beneficiaries considered supplementary nutrition most useful followed by immunization and ‘health check-ups'. "Sharing of the food supplement", incomplete utilization of immunization, Irregular supply of vitamin supplements, lack of motivation for health education calsses, under utilization of referral services were some of the lacunae identified. Anthropometric measurements of the preschool children and that of mother beneficiaries were superior to that of their counterparts in the contorl group. Dietary and food consumption pattern of the experimental group was better than the control group. Nutrient intake was adequate with respect to calories and proteins in both the groups, while other nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, and riboflavin were inadequately met, and were much lower in the control group. Clinical evidence of various deficiency diseases were lower in the experimental group compared to the control group. So also the biochemical parameters. Various socio-economic personal characteristics were not found to influence either the participation or the participation levels of the respondents. The nutritional status index developed wa.s significantly better in the experimental group. Participation index of the beneficiaries was found to be high and nutritional status index increased significantly with participation index in the beneficiaries except in pregnant mothers