The story of Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) begins on 24 February 1971 when the KAU Act (Act 33, 1971 of the Kerala State Legislative Assembly) sanctioned the proposal for its establishment. A year later, from 1972 onward, the university became functional. The College of Agriculture in Padannakkad (CoAP), a tributary of KAU, was born with a mission to address the peculiar agro-climatic conditions, such as highly skewed distribution of rainfall leading to prolonged drought, the unconventional cropping systems in the zone and the insubstantial progress in the Malabar region.
The establishment of the college in Nileshwar-Pilicode in Kasaragod District began to gravitate on 26th March 1994, when the General Council meeting of Kerala Agricultural University endorsed the decision of the Government to commence an agricultural educational institution in Nileshwar-Pilicode, of the Kasargod district. As per the order No GA/J1/13662/94, dated 2nd June 1994, the administrative sanction was accorded. The erstwhile Coconut Farm (Nileshwar III), Padannakkad, under the Department of Agriculture was transferred to the KAU as per G.O. MS 407 / 94 / AD dated 19.11.94 of Agricultural (Farms) Department, to initiate the founding of this College. An initial fund of Rs.1.0 crore was raised by public subscription with much of the support coming from the 1994-95 Kerala Government budget. The college commenced its operations in RARS, Pilicode campus as the 3rd agricultural college of KAU and was later shifted to Padannakkad in 1999 with an objective to improve the quality of agricultural education in the State and to generate quality manpower, competent in theoretical and practical aspects of agriculture, environment, food and industry.
The institution presently offers both under-graduate (B.Sc.) and post-graduate programs in Agriculture. Student intake is based on a common entrance test conducted by the Government of India (NEET) and regulated by KEAM. The UG annual intake capacity is 100 and post-graduate intake is 15 per year spread over eight departments respectively. Eighty percent of the seats are filled through a well-established prospectus observing state government rules. The current total student strength adds up to 259, of which 200 are girls and 59 boys.
The college provides education par excellence and engenders scholars with well-rounded personalities, through the promotion of sports, cultural activities and inter-collegiate competitions along with student and community outreach programs. This is corroborated by the number of students that triumph in the various competitive national exams and go on to obtain ICAR Junior Research Fellowship and KAU merit scholarships. The college can boast of alumni in influential and brilliant lines of careers ranging from Agricultural Officers, Professors, Scientists, Bank Officers, businessmen to administrative officers including Diplomatic services. History continues to write itself within the classrooms of this eminent institution, imaging future challenges.
Growth and Development
In 1994, a functionary of the College of Agriculture, Padannakkad was initiated in RARS, Pilicode. It became fully functional in the current campus in 1998 within a span of 4 years. The new building was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister of Kerala, Sri. E. K. Nayanar. The first batch of students graduated from this college in April 1999. The college has received its accreditation from the Director General, ICAR until 2019 and has strived to become a leading agricultural institution in the country. The college harbors 21 functional departments and has increased its annual student intake capacity from 50 to 100 from the academic year 2018-’19 onwards.
