KAU Agri-Infotech Portal
Centre for e-Learning
Kerala Agricultural University
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 eight colleges (four Agriculture, one Agricultural Engineering, one Forestry, one Co-operation Banking & Management, one Cimate Change and Environmental Sciences), 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 Institute of Agricultural Technology offering Diploma in Agricultural Sciences respectively is also functioning in Kerala Agricultural University
Centre for e-Learning (CeL) of Kerala Agricultural University had its beginning in 2010-11 as a Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) project, for utilizing the potential and prospects of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the fields of farm advisory service and extension in agriculture. At present, Centre for e-Learning (CeL) acts as a platform to learn about agriculture, with special emphasis on up-to-date technologies and agricultural enterprises. CeL is an active partner of KAU in the e-learning landscape of agriculture through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), online certificate courses and online training programmes for students, extensionists, farmers and the general public. All this is managed using the KAU Agri-Infotech Portal. This ICT enabled platform is indigenously developed and hosted by CeL for meeting information requirement on technology and advisory services from various stakeholders in agriculture.
Besides acting as Nodal Officer and Single point of contact for ICAR at KAU supporting their digital learning mandates such as Agri-DIKSHA and Blended Learning Platform (BLP), CeL also manages the KAU Moodle platform, a cutting-edge Learner Management System (LMS) for the students and teachers at Kerala Agricultural University. The institutional motto of CeL is to make available up-to-date agricultural knowledge and technologies to all that require the information at their fingertips.
CeL developed and hosts the KAU Agri-Infotech Portal, which is a user-friendly technical website for farmers, extension workers, scientists, and students who want to learn agriculture in the medium of English or Malayalam. It includes efficient software and plugins to support agricultural education and extension through reliable and relevant information. Registration and management of both MOOCs and Online Certificate Courses are carried through this portal.
The portal includes information on agricultural technologies and services. The sections of Crop husbandry, Animal husbandry, Fisheries provide in depth information on production technologies and management of crops, livestock and fisheries. Information services pertaining to Agricultural input and services, Market intelligence, Farm machinery, Agri enterprises, Post flood and drought management are also provided. Innovative plugins for e-Resources and Library are incorporated.
The portal also hosts decision support tools such as e-Crop doctor, Seed rate and spacing, Fertulator, Agri almanac and e-DID. Besides this the portal offers weather related services such as District weather advisory and Weekly crop management practices.
