Comp 2202 Agri-Informatics (1+1)
Database Management Systems, Introduction to Data Warehousing-, Data Mining, Agricultural Information systems, Use of ICT in agriculture, Computer Models for understanding plant processes, Geospatial technology for generating valuable agri-information, Agricultural Expert systems, Knowledge Management systems, IT in Agricultural Production, IT in Agricultural Research Management, IT in Agricultural Extension Management, Agri-business: Agri-marketing, Smart Phone Apps in Agriculture, SPSS- Analysis of agricultural data using SPSS
Agri business management (2+1)
Agri-business-Concept and definition. Distinction between agriculture and agribusiness, Concept of agri-business management. Agri-business ecosystem: Export Promotion Councils, APEDA, MPEDA, MOFPI, Commodity Boards, Small Farmers’ Agri-business Consortium (SFAC), APMC, MSME, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Agricultural Costs and Prices Commission, Subsidies : food, fertilizers and fuel, Public Policy relating to import and export of agricultural commodities, Agricultural Commodity Value Chains. Agri-business Enterprises: fertilizer industry, crop protection materials industry, seed industry, farm machinery industry, food and agro processing industries, agri-finance and insurance institutions.
Diseases of crops & their Management (2+1)
Categories of diseases; Introduction, history, importance, concepts, principles and tools of IDM; Economic importance of diseases risk analysis. Epidemiology: Factors affecting disease development. Methods of detection and diagnosis of diseases. Diseases of important crops and their control. Principles and methods of plant disease management. Methods of control. Safety issues in pesticide uses. Political, social and legal implication of IDM. Case histories of important IDM programmes in cereals, vegetables, pulses , tuber crops, spices and plantation crops and ornamentals.
E-Commerce for Agri-Business(1+1)
Introduction- meaning of E-commerce, forces behind E-commerce, E-commerce industry framework, brief history of E-commerce,. e-commerce business models- Network infrastructure for E-commerce, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Development of EDI, Application of EDI in business, legal requirements in E-commerce Introduction of E-commerce in supply chain management (SCM) and customer relationship management (CRM). E-commerce standards E-commerce law-, legal issues in Indian scenario.
Mobile commerce- introduction to M-commerce. Introduction to web security, E-Marketing-An Overview sE-marketing Techniques, Types of E-Market-, Definition of E-market, E-Malls, E-Storefront, E-Marketplace
Internet Marketing, Digital Marketing Components of E-Marketing .E-Customers -, Online Buying Process
Economics of Development & Planning(2+0)
Growth and development, concepts and definitions; characteristics of developing economies, determinants of development, evolution of development ideas, alternate measures of development: Kuznets inverted U, Head count ratio, Lorenz curve, gini ratio, PQLI, HDI, HPI.Theories of development: Rowstows stages of growth, Nelsons low level equilibrium trap, Lewis theory of unlimited supply of labour, Fei-rennis model, Nurkse theory of disguised unemployment, Leibenstein ‘s critical minimum effort, Strategies for development: balanced and unbalanced growth, The big push theory, dualistic theories, Myrdal theory, classical theories of growth, neo classical model, Harrod- Domar model. Development planning: meaning, features, significance, and types of planning prerequisites of successful planning, plan process In India. Decentralized planning: rationale and significance, role of local governments, institutional arrangements, constraints, PRI and decentralized planning in Kerala.
Entrepreneurship development (1+1)
Concept of Entrepreneur, Characteristics of entrepreneurs; Entrepreneurial Development Process; Entrepreneurial competencies, Business Leadership Skills; Organizational skill, Managerial skills, Problem solving skill. Agribusiness opportunity identification. Entrepreneurship ecosystem in India and Kerala. Government policies regarding entrepreneurship development. Business plan and business development plan. Definition of MSME. Women entrepreneurship. Student entrepreneurship.
Role and importance of SSIs, growth of SSIs in five years plan, policy and legal framework of SSIs, procedures for starting on SSI unit. Financing of enterprise, Institutional support for the promotion of SSIs
Financial system & services(2+1)
Financial System: Meaning and Significance; Functions of the financial system. Financial Assets, Financial markets, Financial instruments, financial institutions, financial services. Weakness of Indian financial system. Financial Institutions: commercial banks; Development Financial Institutions; Nonbanking financial corporations. Regulatory Institutions: RBI – Role and Functions. SEBI- objectives- function- powers-SEBI guidelines for primary and secondary market. Financial instruments: money market instruments and capital market instruments. Financial services companies in India: NBFCs-Evolution, growth, definition, services provided, comparison with banks, categories, sources of funds, role of NBFCs in the Indian financial system. Factoring- Concept and forms, factoring vs. bills discounting, international factoring, functions of a factor, advantages and disadvantages. Forfeiting. Venture capital: Nature and scope, venture capital investment process, limitations, venture capital schemes in India. Merchant banking: Origin, definition, nature and scope and functions; structure of merchant banking industry in India, regulation of merchant banking activity, pre-issue and post issue management of public issue. Mutual funds: Objectives, types, mutual fund industry in India.
International Finance Management(1+1)
Introduction to international finance. Raising funds in the international markets: euro equity issues – GDR, ADR; Euro Bond Market ; Euro Currency Market, ECBs, FII , FDI. International Development Financial Institutions: IMF, IBRD, IDA, IFC, ADB, BRICS Bank. Foreign Exchange Market: concept of foreign exchange, participants in the foreign exchange market, types of dealings in the foreign exchange market, supply and demand for foreign exchange. Theories of Exchange Rate, Fixed and Floating Exchange Rates; factors affecting exchange rates. Exchange Rate Quotations: LIBOR, Buying and Selling rates, Market rates and Customer rates/ merchant rates, Cross rates and Chain Rule in Exchange Rate Arithmetic, Forward points – premium and discount; need for Forward Exchange Contracts; Forward Rates in India, calculation of exchange rates for forward contracts, calculation of TT buying, TT selling, bill selling and bill buying rates, Documents used in International Trade: Letters of Credit; Bill of Lading, Consular Invoice, Certificate of Origin etc.. Foreign Currency Accounts Abroad – Vostro, Nostro Account, Loro Account. Exchange Rate of the Rupee: Modified Liberalised Exchange Rate Management System (LERMS). Exchange control: objectives, methods– role of RBI, FEMA, 1999.
Introduction to Forestry (1+0)
Introduction – definitions of basic terms related to forestry, objectives of silviculture, forest classification, salient features of Indian Forest Policies. Forest regeneration, Natural regeneration - natural regeneration from seed and vegetative parts, coppicing, pollarding, root suckers; Artificial regeneration – objectives, choice between natural and artificial regeneration, essential preliminary considerations. Crown classification. Tending operations – weeding, cleaning, thinning –mechanical, ordinary, crown and advance thinning. Forest mensuration – objectives, diameter measurement, instruments used in diameter measurement; Non instrumental methods of height measurement - shadow and single pole method; Instrumental methods of height measurement - geometric and trigonometric principles, instruments used in height measurement; tree stem form, form factor, form quotient, measurement of volume of felled and standing trees, age determination of trees. Agroforestry – definitions, importance, criteria of selection of trees in agroforestry, different agroforestry systems prevalent in the country, shifting cultivation, taungya, alley cropping, wind breaks and shelter belts, home gardens. Cultivation practices of two important fast growing tree species of the region.
Management of Agri-Business Co-operatives in India(1+1)
Co-operative Management : concept, meaning, definition, unique features. Management structure: General body- BOD- President- Secretary. Concept of agri-business, need, significance and types of agri-business co-operatives. Dairy co-operatives: history, Operation Flood Programmes, National Dairy Plan, types, objectives &structure of Dairy Cooperatives. Processing Co-operatives: need, objectives and functions. Marketing Co-operatives: importance, objectives, functions and types. Structure and special features of other types of co-operatives : Fisheries Co-operatives, Consumer Co-operatives, Labour Co-operatives, Weavers Co-operatives, Housing Co-operatives, Coir Co-operatives, College Cooperatives, Hospital Co-operatives. Role of state federations, national federations and other promotional agencies promoting agri-business co-operatives: MARKETFED, KERAFED, RUBBERMARK, KCMMF, NAFED, NCDC, NCDFI, NDDB, IFFCO, KRIBHCO.
Manures, Fertilizers and soil fertility Management (2+1)
Introduction and importance of organic manures, properties and methods of preparation of bulky and concentrated manures. Green/leaf manuring. Fertilizer recommendation approaches. Integrated nutrient management.
Chemical fertilizers: classification, composition and properties of major nitrogenous, phosphatic, potassic fertilizers, secondary & micronutrient fertilizers, Complex fertilizers, nano fertilizers Soil amendments, Fertilizer Storage, Fertilizer Control Order. History of soil fertility and plant nutrition. criteria of essentiality. role, deficiency and toxicity symptoms of essential plant nutrients, Mechanisms of nutrient transport to plants, factors affecting nutrient availability to plants. Chemistry of soil nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur and micronutrients. Soil fertility evaluation, Soil testing. Critical levels of different nutrients in soil. Forms of nutrients in soil, plant analysis, rapid plant tissue tests. Indicator plants. Methods of fertilizer recommendations to crops. Factor influencing nutrient use efficiency (NUE), methods of application under rainfed and irrigated conditions.
Methodology for project studies (2+1)
Meaning and definition of research: classification of research, importance, applications, limitations of social science research, information -communication technology in research, basic elements of the scientific method, theory and research, the meaning of methodology. Research problem and design: steps in research process, selection of the topic and formulation of the research designs for exploratory, descriptive, diagnostic and experimental research. Participatory Research Methods- PRA tools & techniques. Data Collection and analysis: Sampling design, types. Methods of collecting primary data: questionnaire and schedules, sources of secondary data on Indian economy, case study method, processing of data. Hypothesis: sources testing of hypothesis. Interpretation, drawing conclusions and reporting it-Structure of the research report- Types of reports- Methods of footnotes and referencing. Introduction to library and information services; role of libraries in education; Sources of information-primary, secondary and tertiary sources; Cataloguing, OPAC, Web OPAC, Union Catalogue, Familiarizing computerized library operations, Major data bases in agriculture, management and economics.
Pest of crops & their Management (2+1)
Nature and symptoms of damage and management strategies of major insect pests of Field crops: rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, ragi, sugarcane, cotton and oil seeds – groundnut, sesamum, castor, sunflower and mustard.
Vegetable crops: solanaceous vegetables – brinjal, chilli, tomato, cucurbitaceous vegetables- bittergourd, snake gourd, cucumber & pumpkin. Cruciferous vegetables – cabbage and cauliflower; bhindi, cowpea, amaranthus, moringa and curry leaf, polyhouse vegetables; Tuber crops: tapioca, sweet potato, yam; Fruit crops: banana, mango, jack, papaya, pineapple, citrus, guava, pomegranate, sapota, apple and grape vine.
Value chain in Agriculture (2+1)
Meaning of value and value chain. Concept of value chain. Difference between supply chain and value chain. Components of value chain. Value chain governance. Value chain methodology. Economics of value chain. Financing of agriculture value chain. Market linkages in value chain. Use of ICT’s in value chain. Risk identification and management in value chain. Value chain promotion. The process of value chain analysis and development. Mapping of value chain, Porter’s value chain. GST and value chain.