Thrissur: The Kerala Agriculture University (KAU) budget for 2019-20 envisages a new college in Palakkad and a centre of excellence in floriculture and tropical horticulture in Waya-nad. The budget presented by K.V. Vijayadas, MLA, in the general council meeting at KAU headquarters the other day shows a deficit of Rs 46 crore with the expenditure of Rs 631.85 crore and receipts of Rs 585.83 crore.
It envisages strengthening of facilities at the College of Agriculture, Ambalavayal, in Wayanad district and optimising the KAU library network through a dedicated computer network.
Detailed scrutiny of the changes caused by flood in ecosystem and soil will be carried out and suggest necessary interventions.
Priorities to popularise organic farming with technological backup is also on the agenda.
Remote sensing, mechanisation, hi-tech farming and horticultural therapy will be encouraged, besides conducting more research on value-addition and export of fruits.
Vice-chancellor Dr R. Chandra Babu said the centre of excellence at Ambalavayal is the outcome of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan's visit to the Netherlands.
“The centre will provide technological backup for farmers, a storage facility for their produces, transportation chains and marketing windows,” he added.
"Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) will work hand-in-hand with civic bodies to ensure smooth implementation of the agri-development projects and also to ensure convergence of funds for similar objectives under different heads."
