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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: Rural Banking and Finance Management × Author: Karthika, Venugopal × Start date: 2007 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Impact of institutional credit on agricultural production in Kerala
    (College of Co - operation Banking and Management, Vellanikkara, 2012) Karthika, Venugopal; KAU; Molly, Joseph
    The study on ‘Impact of institutional credit on agricultural production in Kerala’ has been undertaken with the objectives of assessing the source-wise and purpose-wise credit flow to agriculture; comparing the performance of various institutions in the provision of agricultural credit; examining the impact of institutional credit on agricultural production, and analysing the pattern of utilisation and impact of credit on farmers with respect to Pananchery Panchayat of Thrissur district. The study was based on both primary and secondary data. Major sources of data were, www.rbi.org.in, Agricultural Statistics at a Glance, Economic Review, and www.indiastat.com for the period 1984-85 to 2010-11 for India, and 1990-91 to 2010-11 for Kerala. Percentages, annual growth rates, compound annual growth rates (CAGR), ordinary line graphs, pie diagrams, Mann-Whitney U Test, correlation, simple and multiple linear regression, Cobb-Douglas model, Cochrane-Orcutt Regression model and Durbin-Watson d- Test were employed to analyse the data. Primary data have been collected from 60 farmers selected through stratified random sampling from Pananchery Panchayat of Thrissur district. The study has revealed that co-operatives are the major source of IC in India, and SCBs in Kerala, Thrissur and Pananchery Panchayat. Co-operatives are more interested to provide indirect loans in recent years. IC is mainly disbursed by way of short-term and production credit in India, Kerala and Pananchery. Simple and Multiple Linear Regression, Cobb-Douglas and Cochrane-Orcutt Regression models revealed that IC has significant and positive impact on agricultural production in India and Kerala. Cobb-Douglas model for the Pananchery Panchayat also pointed out the significant contribution of IC in agricultural production. As far as the problems of farmers of Pananchery Panchayat are concerned, availability of credit is not an important one. This might be one of the reasons for the high productivity compared to State average, in many of the crops cultivated in Pananchery, given the significance of institutional credit in agricultural production. The major problem related to IC as pointed out by them is the absence of initiatives and technically qualified staff for providing consultancy, bank related and marketing services to farmers from Krishibhavan, Panchayat and commodity boards. The farmers, especially illiterate are in dire need of qualified staff at Panchayat level for filling up of various forms and preparation of documents and proposals to be submitted to banks for financing, providing market intelligence services and making them competent to trade in futures markets in agricultural commodities so as to fetch reasonable prices for their products. The agricultural officers, according to the farmers are preoccupied with their routine functions. Hence it is suggested that the services of additional personnel competent to provide technical consultancy and guidance with respect to the financing and commodity market intelligence services may be provided to the farmers at the Panchayat level.