THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 6 July 2025: In a significant boost to Kerala’s climate-resilient agriculture efforts, the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has signed an MoU with the Kerala Climate Resilient Agri Value Chain Modernization Project (KERA) to promote climate-smart and low-emission farming across the state.
The MoU was inked by Vishnu Raj, Additional Project Director of KERA, and A Sakeer Husain, Registrar of KAU. The collaboration aims to modernise soil testing labs, improve farmer advisory systems, and pilot low-carbon paddy cultivation techniques such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) in key districts.
“This agreement marks an important milestone in Kerala’s push to future-proof agriculture against climate change,” said Vishnu Raj. “By combining KAU’s scientific capabilities with KERA’s development vision, we can speed up sustainable adoption and improve rural livelihoods.”
A major highlight will be the establishment of the Kerala Agro Climate Research Centre at KAU, supported by the Agriculture Department’s IT cell. This centre will develop climate-smart crop advisories and bolster research and capacity building among farmers and extension workers.
The partnership also aligns with Kerala’s broader agenda of using technology, science and international cooperation—including partners like IRRI and CWRDM—to build a resilient, market-focused agricultural ecosystem.
Funded by the World Bank, the KERA project is a five-year mission to modernise agricultural value chains and strengthen Kerala’s preparedness for climate-induced risks. The MoU with KAU is expected to turn these ambitions into concrete results on the ground.
Image credit: keralakaumudi.com
