THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a boost to the coconut farming sector in the state, the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has bagged a project worth RS 24.732 crore funded by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).
The project has been sanctioned under the Centres of Advanced Agricultural Science and Technology (CAAST) component of National Agricultural Higher Education Programme and will be operational for three years from the current fiscal. KAU Vice-Chancellor R Chandra Babu said, “The proposal to establish a CAAST for knowledge and skill development on coconut-based secondary agriculture has been approved by the ICAR. Of the total outlay of Rs 24.732 crore, Rs 19.732 crore will be borne by the ICAR, while the rest will be the state’s share.”“We have selected coconut as the focus of activity based on the state government’s envisaged thrust on coconut farming. With coconut being responsible for the very name of the state, it is befitting it is supported by all possible means. Our endeavour is to lead the revival of coconut farming and provide support to farmers with scientific protocols for value addition and processing,” Babu said.
He said KAU had expertise in emerging areas of industrial processing and value addition in coconut.