Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science
 IAAS main administrative building, Rampur | |
| Type | Agricultural institute |
|---|---|
| Established | 1957 |
| Dean | Prof. Shyam Shankar Jha |
Academic staff | 150 |
| Location |
Rampur, Chitwan 27°39′14″N 84°21′5″E / 27.65389°N 84.35139°E |
| Affiliations | Tribhuwan university |
| Website | www.iaas.edu.np |
The Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS) is an agricultural institute under Tribhuwan University in Nepal for college level training in agriculture and animal sciences. The IAAS originated as a school of agriculture established in 1957 in Kathmandu to train Junior Technical Assistants. In 1968 the school was upgraded to a college of agriculture.
In 1972 the college was recognized as the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science under Tribhuvan University and moved to the present location at Rampur, Chitwan in 1974.
The institute had three campuses at Rampur, Chitwan. It offers (Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Master of Science (Agriculture), Master of Science (Animal Science), Master of Veterinary Science, Master of Science (Aquaculture) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs. Currently Agriculte and foresty University has been established in its facilities though still administration offices of IAAS exist there. academic programmes of it aren't conducted there except for last years of bachelors who had been enrolled at rampur campud before being replaced by Agriculture and Forestry University. Bachelor's programme shifted to two campuses i.e. Lamjung and paklihawa campus. lamjung campus conducts b.scAg programme and paklihawa conducts b.scag and B.vsc & A.H. masters programme shifted to Kirtipur Tribhuwan University complex. After being shifted quality of its education at all campuses is degrading to worse. Lacking proper library, laboratories, farm animals and other primary infrastructures.
The Dean's office is located at the Rampur Campus. The office includes a Central Management Team to run the institute, headed by the Dean. Dean of IAAS is Prof. Narendra Kumar Chaudhary and Campus chief is Asso. Prof. Shyam Sundar Pant.
Research
The Directorate of Research and Publication (DOR) has been established at Rampur under the office of the Dean. The DOR encourages interdisciplinary research studies focusing on the priority areas as emphasized by the Nepal Agriculture perspective Plan (APP), a 20-year agriculture development plan which has been in effect since 1995. The Directorate helps to develop proposals and to carry out research on both basic and applied biological as well as social science related research. The knowledge and information generated from research is disseminated through teaching, seminars, conferences, symposia, extension activities and scientific publications.
The research and development office promotes research activities on campus. The research principally focuses on the mid-hill ecosystem which is a typical Nepali landscape. Participatory projects are underway in collaboration with IRRI. There is an upland rice research program located at Lamjung Campus Sundarbazar, located in the mid-hills of Nepal.
Research grants
The Directorate approves small research grants and encourages facility members to develop research proposals and seek funds from other institutions. IAAS also welcomes interested donor institutions or collaborative institutions for funding, or to conduct collaborative research in subject matter related to agriculture. At present, there are more than fifty research projects underway. These projects are managed by the DOR.
Research on client-based problems are being undertaken through MS and PhD thesis research in partnership with local line agencies and industries.
Crop science research
IAAS has a strong wheat breeding program in collaboration with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). Wheat pathologist Dr. Sundar Man Shrestha, agronomist N. K. Chaudhary and wheat breeder Umesh R. Rosyara are involved in the program. The objective of the program is to develop stress resistant and tolerant genotypes for environments stressful to current strains of wheat. Foliar leaf blight or spot blotch is a major biotic stress whereas other stresses include heat and drought.[1]
A wheat management study team is developing a wheat for minimum or low tillage technology. Prof. Khem R. Dhahal and Prof. K.B. Basnet are leading this group.
Developing wild rice and rare rice genotypes for the Nepalese future is Prof. L.P. Subedi's vocation. He has a good collection of genotypes. Hybrid rice development is his major area of interest and he maintains a rice kitchen garden.
Among fruits, major research is being done with lemons and limes. This research group, under the leadership of Prof. Durga D. Dhakal, focuses on perennial production of lemons and limes.
Livestock and fish research
The IAAS has facilities for fisheries and livestock research. The fisheries research is led by Dr. M.K. Shrestha. Livestock and veterinary research is led by Professor Dr Naba Raj Devkota and the faculty of the Department of Animal Nutrition and Fodder production. Research there concentrates on developing technology for fattening of male buffalo calves, improving productivity of male goats, agroforestry model establishment, and carrying capacity estimation of pasture and ranges in high altitude regions of Nepal. Animal science research is undertaken at the Department of Livestock Production Management under the leadership of Professor D.B. Nepali, and at the department of Animal Breeding and Biotechnology under the leadership of Associate Professor, Doctor Mana Raj Kolachhapati.
Veterinary science study and research
The IAAS constitutes the government funded veterinary school where students learn veterinary science at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. Annually 30 students graduate in BVSc and AH. Around 300 veterinarians have graduated from the institute.
There are four departments in veterinary science: Veterinary Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry; Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacology and Surgery; Veterinary Microbiology, Parasitology and Epidemiology; and Veterinary Pathology, Theriogeonology and Clinic. In addition to this the three departments of Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Animal Nutrition and Fodder Production, and Livestock Production and Management closely work for broader prospective of animal sciences study and research.
There is a team of mostly foreign-educated researchers in the Veterinary Faculty. The Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH), the only one of its kind in Nepal, is engaged in teaching, clinical service and research.
Other facilities
The Microbiology laboratory has Dr HB Basnet at the helm. The Medicine and Pharmacology laboratories participate in research of a diagnostic and experimental nature. The Pathology Laboratory is headed by Dr DK Singh. The Department of Theriogenology, with faculty members Dr BN Devkota, Dr K. Kaphle and Dr SK Sha (also director of VTH) is the most recently created department.
Research into reproductive problems of cattle and buffaloes, herbal medicine, and acupuncture as used for correction of infertility problems are some of the projects underway. The service of the department in the community by way of frequent infertility camps held at locations of Chitwan district and further afield are works of the IAAS. Works on semen and bull fertility are underway.
Herbal medicine research involving laboratory and farm animals is also an area of research. Prof Dr S Thapaliya and K. Kaphle are international experts in this field. Graduate and postgraduate students are doing research on herbal medicine.
First biotechnology laboratory in Nepal
IAAS features the first biotechnology laboratory in Nepal; this facility has laboratories which provide DNA and protein based molecular analysis. The laboratory was established with the support of the World Bank on the initiative of Prof. R. C. Sharma. Sundarman Shrestha, U. R. Rosyara, S.K. Ghimire and M. Pandey are involved in management of the facility.
Links with other institutions
Memorandums of understanding have been signed between IAAS and several national and international institutions. Partners include: CIMMYT, Agro Enterprise Centre (AEC), Department of Agriculture (DOA), Department of Livestock (DLS), Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC), International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, IMMI, Cornell University (USA), University of Graz (Austria), Hiroshima University (Japan), Writtle College (England), Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand), and Tufts University (USA).
Lamjung campus
The Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Lamjung campus, is located at Sundarbazar municipality of Lamjung district, Nepal. The institute was established as a branch of IAAS Rampur, Chitwan (Central campus) under Tribhuvan University in 1976 (2032 B.S.) with the following objectives:
- To produce middle level agricultural technicians
- To conduct problem solving research for farmers in agriculture and animal science, suitable to the mid hills of Nepal
- To provide technical assistance to farmers in the fields of agriculture and animal science
Land holdings
The campus has 338 ropani (282 ropani of uplands and 56 ropani of lowlands) of land in six plots. It has one horticulture, one agronomy and one livestock farm extended in 252 ropani in and around the campus area. These farms are for production of fruits, vegetables, cereals, animals and birds and for doing practical work. The upland area includes a mango orchard and extra land around the office and residential area; about 4200 coffee plants were planted on this land during August, 2005.
Administration and manpower
The campus chief is the head of the institute and for general administration, academic administration, accounts, store, library, farms, hostels and dispensary work under the chief office. In each of the above sections, there is one branch head. Internal management is the responsibility of the section head. Major decisions related to rules and regulations in each section are made by the meeting of section heads and related personnel headed by the campus chief.
There are altogether 150 teaching staff members, and 56 in administrative support on campus. Two teachers have PhD degrees while others hold master's degrees. The number of teachers employed on campus has not been sufficient to run the program. Therefore, at least four teachers have been brought from Rampur on a contract basis, each year. The campus also lacks workers, watchmen and lab assistants.
Buildings
The institute has
- Two administrative buildings
- One library
- Six classrooms
- Five laboratories
There are other facilities like 24 dormitories and residences (one chief, nine senior staff, ten junior staff and four lower staff), one guest house, one boys' hostel, one girls' hostel and two mess halls. There is a poultry house, a goat shed, two cattle/buffalo sheds, a swine shed, a farm store, an auditorium hall, a garage and a dispensary.
Academic activities
During its early years, the institute taught a one-year course of I. Sc. (Basic science) Agriculture diploma and produced 947 middle level agricultural technicians from 1975 to 1983. The institute started a non-academic Junior Technical Assistant training program in 1984. 644 JTAs were trained from 1984 to 1990. The institute started a two-year I. Sc. (Basic science) Agriculture diploma program in 1991 and produced 313 JTs up to 2001. In 2002, the institute introduced an eight-semester Bachelor of Science in Agriculture program. An entrance exam is taken through the dean's office in Kirtipur and teaching starts in the month of Magh (January ).
Besides teaching, the institute has trained farmers in agricultural practices. The campus has boosted the economy of the farmers residing near the campus.
Departments and laboratories
There are 18 departments in IAAS:
- Agricultural Economics
- Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology
- Agricultural Statistics and Mathematics
- Agronomy
- Animal Breeding and Biotechnology
- Animal Nutrition and Fodder Production
- Aquaculture
- Entomology
- Environmental Science
- . Horticulture
- . Livestock Production and Management
- . Plant Breeding
- . Plant Pathology
- . Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering
- . Veterinary Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry
- . Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacology and Surgery
- . Veterinary Microbiology, Parasitology and Epidemiology
- . Veterinary Pathology, Theriogeonology and Clinic
These departments cover subjects such as Agronomy, Plant Breeding, Genetics, Soil Science, Horticulture, Plant Pathology, Animal Science, Aquaculture, Veterinary Medicine, Animal Breeding, Environmental Science, Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Economics, Plant Pathology and Sociology.
Publications
IAAS publishes the Journal of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, an annual publication, showcasing scientific information on plant, animal and social sciences. The DOR publishes IAAS Research Reports based on research carried out under the internal as well as external funding schemes, and recently, M.Sc. Thesis Abstract covering theses of postgraduate students at IAAS.
See also
Other technical institutes at TU include:
- Institute of Engineering
- Institute of Forestry
- Institute of Medicine
- Institute of Science and Technology
References
- ↑ Umesh R. Rosyara. "Breeding Stress Tolerant Genotypes for Rice-Wheat Cropping System of Nepal : Can a Molecular Approach Help?". Retrieved February 22, 2010.
External links
Coordinates: 27°39′9.48″N 84°21′2.92″E / 27.6526333°N 84.3508111°E