Need for Central Agricultural University in South India

The Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) through the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) coordinates and promotes agricultural research and education in the country. DARE is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world With 111 ICAR institutes and 73 agricultural universities serving the nation in the agricultural research and education sector. Central government-funded Institutions and universities for agriculture higher education in the country are concentrated in the north, east and west parts of India i.e. four “Deemed to be Universities (DUs)” (ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi (IARI), Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Assam, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Jharkhand, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, UP and ICAR-Central Institute on Fisheries Education, Mumbai, Maharashtra and Three central agricultural universities (Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar and Rani Laxmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, UP)  and four Central Universities (CUs) with Agriculture Faculty  (Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh Aligarh, UP,  Banaras Hindu University Varanasi, UP, Nagaland University Lumami,  Vishwa Bharti Shantiniketan), WB. However, there is no independent central university and institutions offering higher education in agriculture located in south India.

South India (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilanadu, Telangana, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands) is agrarian-based region 48% of the total population depends on agri and allied sectors contributing approx. 35-40% gross and net sown area and contributing more than 30-40% total production of agri and allied sectors. In a total of 146.45 million operational holdings in the country, south Indian states have 38.73 million operational holdings with an area of 33.19 m.ha coverage as per the Agricultural census 2015-16. Which is largely dependent on seasonal monsoons. Some of the main crops cultivated in South India include paddy, sorghum, pearl millet, pulses, sugarcane, cotton, chilli, ragi, areca, coffee, tea, vanilla, rubber, pepper, tapioca, and cardamom are cultivated on the hills, while coconut grows in abundance in coastal areas and have diverse agricultural ecosystems having dry land farming, irrigated agriculture and coastal agriculture with diversified climatic system and soil types. It has huge potential for improving agricultural productivity and the living standard of the farming community. For that qualified human resources in agriculture is required. Presently, state agricultural universities (SAUs) are the only source for the students of South India to pursue higher education in agriculture in India and most of the central institutes and universities are located in the north, east and western part of the country and south Indian students face many difficulties in purse higher education in these institutions and universities located in north, east and west India because of language, financial, climate, food and distance etc. The contribution of south Indian states to the country's agricultural production and food security and economic stability is more crucial for enhanced productivity in agriculture and allied sector in south India. So, there is a need for a Central Agricultural University in southern states for the benefit of south Indian students, farmers and the community as a whole.

(Manu S. M.)