Kerala Research Articles

Determinants of Food Security Status of Agricultural Households: An Empirical Investigation from Kuttanad Wetland System in Kerala, India

Recent debates highlight that agriculture-based strategies can enhance food security. Thus, this article examined the incidence and determinants of food security of agricultural households in Kuttanad, a wetland region situated in the southern part of the state of Kerala in India. Towards this objective, we have collected food consumption data from households and converted them into an equivalent amount of calorie intake. Further, we define food security in terms of calorie adequacy using the minimum calorie norm of 1,800 kcal suggested by the Food and Agricultural Organization for India. Our empirical results reveal that 37% of the sample households are food insecure. The incidence of food insecurity is higher among poor sections like labour households, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), and Scheduled Castes families. Results of Probit regression show that below poverty line and AAY families are less likely to be food secure than above poverty line families. The purchase of cereals from the Public Distribution System is found to have a positive impact on the food security status of the households. Both farm income and non-farm income positively influence the probability of food security. The study concludes that there are impediments to realizing the linkages between agriculture and food security. JEL Classification: Q10, Q18, I32, C25

Hygrocybe pellucida—a new species of Hygrophoraceae from Kerala State, India

Hygrocybe pellucida sp. nov. is described from Kerala State, India based on both morphology and multigene phylogenetic analyses (nrITS, nrLSU). This species is characterized by small, viscid, translucent basidiocarps, a whitish to grayish pileus with reddish pellucid striations, dimorphic basidiospores and basidia, a sterile lamella edge with abundant pseudocystidia, an ixotrichoderm-type pileipellis and an ixocutis-type stipitipellis. A comprehensive species description along with photographs of both the basidiocarps and the microscopic features, line drawings of the microscopic structures, a comparison with morphologically similar and phylogenetically related species and phylogenetic trees inferring the placement of the new species within the section Velosae are provided.

A Study On The Problems Faced By Dairy Milk Farmers Of Kerala State

A Study On The Problems Faced By Dairy Milk Farmers Of Kerala State

Phylodynamics and Phylogenetic Analysis of Recent SARS CoV 2 Viral Strains from Pune, Maharashtra

In December 2019, medical practitioners from China identified a novel strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome-CoV (SARS-CoV). The disease was allotted a zoonotic origin and the spillover event is associated with Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID- 19 as an international public-health emergency concern. In India, the index case was reported on 30th January in the district of Thrissur, state of Kerala and by 25th March 2020, the country was lockdown. This research aims to analyze the viral phylogenetic and phylodynamics of strains from Pune, Maharashtra, followed by a comparison against real time data and an analysis of the potency of government prevention strategies. Publicly available SARS-CoV-2 sequences, specific to Pune, Maharashtra, were downloaded from GISAID during the time frame of the epidemics. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences, including Maximum Likelihood trees and the nucleotide substitution model, were done using IQ-TREE software. Phylodynamic tools available as part of the BEAST2 software was used to estimate the evolution of R number through time. GTR+F+I was found to be the best-fit nucleotide substitution model for the data acquired. ML trees constructed reported a log likelihood of 44842.9931. Analysis of trace estimates reported R number with an average of 1, indicating transmission of virus. The data contains controversial elements which can only be clarified upon further sequencing of the SARS- CoV-2 strains, however, the results obtained are parallel to real time statistics.

Vaidyakalanidhi Shri C. N. Narayanan: A revisionist among Ayurveda physicians of Kerala

Abstract In Kerala, the traditional knowledge of Ayurveda was meticulously preserved and disseminated by families of Ashtavaidya tradition and other Vaidya (physicians). The branch of Kaumarabhritya (pediatrics) owes much to the detailed treatises such as “Arogyakalpadrumam” by Kaikulangara Rama Varier and “Vaidyatarakam” by Vaidyakalanidhi C. N. Narayanan (CNN). This paper gives an insight into the life and legacy of CNN, a towering figure who enriched the Ayurvedic community through his academic brilliance, leadership, and editorial prowess. CNN, hailing from a traditional Vaidya family in the central region of contemporary Kerala in India, holds a distinguished position as a Balachikitsaka (pediatrician). His significant contributions to the field of Kaumarabhritya are encapsulated in his seminal work, Vaidyatarakam. This magnum opus delves into unique formulations designed to combat prevalent diseases of his era, such as Karappan (a skin disorder), Romantika Jwara (measles), Nilankari Chuma (whooping cough), and Pilla Vata (polio), among others. He played a crucial role in shaping discussions on professional, academic, and social aspects of Ayurveda. Contrary to the custom of preserving traditional and professional knowledge as a family secret, he devoted himself to spreading his extensive clinical and practical experience. CNN’s tireless efforts have not only enriched the field of Ayurveda but have also contributed to its wider dissemination and understanding.

Sustainability of Housing Conditions in Rural Kerala

Housing being an important component of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development is an essential driver in achieving sustainable development goals directly or indirectly. Adequate and affordable housing leads to benefits in health, education and economic opportunities. “Adequate housing means more than a roof over one’s head. It also means adequate privacy; adequate space; physical accessibility; adequate security; security of tenure; structural stability and durability; adequate lighting, heating and ventilation; adequate basic infrastructure, such as water supply, sanitation and waste management facilities; suitable environmental quality and health related factors; and adequate and accessible location with regard to work and basic facilities: all of which should be available at an affordable cost” (UN-HABITAT, 2023). The state of Kerala occupies a unique position not only among the states in India but also among the developing countries as well in its high level of human and social development. Regarding housing, the average size, quality, and investment per house in the state were better than in other parts of the country. Today, housing condition in Kerala is much better when compared to the rest of the country. Kerala has achieved massive improvements in quality of human life. In this context, the present study attempts to examine the sustainability of housing conditions in rural Kerala by analysing the unit level data of NSSO 76th round for rural sector of Kerala based on the criteria for sustainability in housing adapted from the relevant literature in this regard.

Major biochemical constituents of Premna integrifolia extract: A Review of chemical analysis

Premna integrifolia (Ganimari) is a precise widespread medicinal herb developed mainly in Sri Lanka and different regions of India. The plant grows wild in coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in India. Premna integrifolia, a valuable herb in Ayurveda, has many health advantages including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiarthritic, antioxidant, anti-ulcer, antidiabetic, CNS stimulant, hepatoprotective, cardiac stimulant, hypolipidemic and neurodegenerative disease-fighting properties. This review discusses the challenges and analytical approaches for determining the chemical components of Premna integrifolia, both quantitatively and qualitatively. This review also provides a thorough analysis of the methods used to accurately characterize the chemical profile of Premna integrifolia extract. The effectiveness of analytical methods like chromatography, UV-spectroscopy and mass spectrometry in identifying and quantifying bioactive constituents is being investigated.

A new species of Naematelia (Tremellales, Basidiomycota) from India

A new species of Naematelia, N. encephaloidea, was collected and described from Silent Valley National Park, Kerala State, India. It is characterized by two types of swollen cells in trama, thick-walled, non-germinating, and thin-walled, germinating; thick-walled, globose conidia; inflated cells in the trama; lack of hyphidia. The identity of the new species is confirmed by morphological characteristics, and ITS and LSU sequence based molecular study. A key to the known Naematelia species is also provided.

Deterministic Seismic Hazard Analysis of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Kerala State

Deterministic Seismic Hazard Analysis of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Kerala State

A Study on Customer Satisfaction towards Steel Furniture in Kasaragod

The study was conducted to understand Customer Satisfaction Towards Steel Furniture in Kasaragod, North part of Kerala state, India. Customer Satisfaction is buzzword today, as soon as right here every body the usage of this Customer’s Satisfaction is suffering from the importance placed by using the customers on each of the attitudes of the product/service. The minds of customers would be reflected on the preference and selection of brands available in the market. Thus, it is necessary for the manufacturers to evaluate the customers’ satisfaction towards branded furniture. The mission of this study is to continue their tradition of customer focused approach providing the best products balancing it with quality and economical price in tune with the wishes and expectation of the customers in this fast-changing global scenario.

Developing Non-Stationary Frequency Relationships for Greater Pamba River basin, Kerala India incorporating dominant climatic precursors

Abstract. Global climate changes significantly contribute to increased frequency of hydrologic extremes. This significantly underestimates the hydrologic design parameters, bringing of hydro systems to increased failure risk. In order to address this concern, the current practice of development of hydrologic frequency tools need to be updated accounting for non-stationarity. This study first considered a diverse set of statistical tests to examine the trend, change points, non-stationarity and randomness of streamflow, rainfall and temperature time series of scales ranging from daily to annual. The annual maxima time series indicated non stationarity against the stationary behaviour of daily series of hydro-meteorological datasets of the basin. Subsequently, this study developed the Temperature Duration Frequency (TDF), Rainfall Intensity Duration Frequency (IDF) and Flood Frequency (FF) curves of Greater Pamba river basin in Kerala India, the part of which was most severely affected by the near century return period flood event of 2018. The analysis was performed for a multitude of combinations of variations in distribution parameters with time and climatic drivers as physical covariates in the extreme value formulations. The study proposed a novel wavelet coherence (WC) based driver selection of most dominant combination of climatic precursors in developing FF and IDF relations of three locations of Kalloopara, Malakkara and Thumpamon and TDF curve of Kuttanad region in the basin, considering data of 1985–2015 period. The proposed WC framework considers bi-multi-and partial effects of climatic oscillations (COs) like El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in identifying potential drivers. The different WC formulations captured in-phase relationships of streamflows and rainfall with COs at intra-annual, annual and inter annual scales up to 4 years. The methods showed that addition of climatic precursors improved the NS estimates of flood and rainfall quantiles by more accurately capturing the magnitudes of extreme streamflows and rainfalls of 2018, 2021 than the time covariate formulations. However, the role of COs on extreme temperature is not found to be influential in developing TDF relationships, which needs further investigation.

Resilience Amidst Adversity: Exploring Gender Disparities and Psychosocial Factors in Kerala

Despite notable progress in human development and gender equality indicators, mental health issues and gender disparities persist due to various socio-ecological factors in the southern state of Kerala, India. This study aims to identify the psychosocial factors of resilience that enabled rural and urban women to cope with during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic, while also comparing the experiences of resilience among women in rural and urban areas of Malappuram district. A demographic profiler and semi-structured interview questions were employed to assess resilience in a cohort of 44 women in rural and urban settings and within the age range of 21-60 years. Interview questions were specifically based on the definition of resilience, resilience factors specific to women, resilience-boosting elements, and obstacles during COVID-19. Qualitative analysis of the participants’ responses revealed five key psychosocial factors (psychological factors, support, life experience, external factors, and gender) influencing women's resilience. Similar factors (support, psychological, and external factors) are critical in strengthening women's resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research also sheds light on subtle gender inequalities, underscoring the need for comprehensive initiatives to promote gender equity and improve men's attitudes towards women. The limitation of the study lies in the regional specificity, which affects its generalizability. The study highlights the importance of designing psychosocial interventions to promote resilience in women across diverse geographical contexts, presenting opportunities for empowering women through comprehensive strategies. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers, enabling the development of effective measures to uplift women and create a more equitable and resilient society. Further research is recommended to bridge knowledge gaps and formulate comprehensive strategies to enhance women's empowerment.

Curbing Future Nipah Outbreaks in India with a Sustainable One Health Approach

Nipah virus is deadly RNA virus that spread from bats to humans with high case fatality rate. India witnessed the 6th outbreak in the month of September 2023, while it was the 4th outbreak in the state of Kerala. The man coming into contact with bat secretions like urine or saliva increased the risk of transmission of disease. As the population increases and animal-human interaction or human-environment interaction increases, we need to take a holistic approach to the solution. One Health approach promotes collaborative efforts of many experts working across human, animal, and environmental health to improve the health of people and animals. The important preventive measures undertaking the One Health Approach like strengthening public health system, maintaining environmental health and animal health, health education and ongoing research will help to curb the occurrence and control of outbreaks to greater extent. Keywords: Animal, Environment, Human, Nipah, One Health, Outbreak

Antimalarial potential of Kerala Ayurvedic Water "Pathimugam".

The persistent threat of drug resistant malaria demands new cures. Low prevalence of malaria in the Indian state of Kerala compared with other proximal states led us to explore if there is any traditional practice in Kerala which may confer protection against malaria. In this context, our attention was drawn to "Pathimugam" i.e., Ceasalpinia sappan whose heartwood is used to prepare a red aqueous extract which is a uniquely popular drink all over Kerala. Aqueous and methanolic extracts of various organs of C. sappan were prepared and tested against Plasmodium falciparum grown in vitro culture using SYBR Green-I assay. The cytotoxicity of active extracts/fractions was studied using mammalian HeLa cell line. In vivo efficacy was determined using Plasmodium berghei ANKA infected mice. The highest antiplasmodial activities in the alcoholic and aqueous extracts were observed in leaf methanolic extract (IC 2 μg/ml) and heartwood aqueous extract (IC 12.5 μg/ml). C. sappan extracts were equipotent against both chloroquine sensitive Pf3D7 and resistant Pf INDO strains and showed suppression of % parasitemia in P. berghei infected mice. Activity guided chromatographic fractionation of aqueous wood extract led to the fortification of antiplasmodial activity (IC 5 μg/ml). Our results establish the antiplasmodial potential of C. sappan and suggest that its regular use might have prophylactic or curative actions that may assist in keeping check on malaria in the Indian state of Kerala.

Emerging nitrate contamination in groundwater: Changing phase in a fast-growing state of India

The consumption of nitrate-contaminated groundwater is often associated with potential health risks, particularly in children. This study aimed to assess the hydrochemistry and nitrate contamination in groundwater of Kerala state, India for the years 2010 and 2018 and evaluate the potential human health risks due to nitrate exposure in adults, and children through oral ingestion and dermal contact pathways. Nitrate-contaminated zones were identified by spatial mapping of nitrate concentration based on groundwater quality data of 324 wells. Groundwater is typically acidic to slightly alkaline, and the electrical conductivity (EC) varied from 33 to 1180 μS/cm in 2010 and 34.6–2500 mg/L in 2018 indicating a noticeable increase over the years. Most samples fall within low salt enrichment category. The nitrate concentration in groundwater varied from 0 to 173 mg/L with a mean of 15.4 mg/L during 2010 and 0 to 244 with a mean of 20.3 mg/L during 2018. Though nitrate concentrations show uneven spatial distributions due to both natural and anthropogenic sources, the spatial clustering of higher concentrations remains almost same in both periods. In 2010, non-carcinogenic risk, as measured by Health Index Total (HITotal) values in groundwater for the investigated region, ranged from 0.005 to 4.170 (mean of 0.349) for males, 0.005 to 4.928 (mean of 0.413) for females, and 0.008 to 7.243 (mean of 0.607) for children, while in 2018, the corresponding values varied from 0.001 to 5.881 (mean of 0.501) for males, 0.002 to 6.950 (mean of 0.592) for females, and 0.003 to 10.215 (mean of 0.870) for children, indicating a substantial increase in risk, for females and children. Greater health risk is observed in children during both the periods. The findings emphasize the need for proper water quality management, especially in regions with higher vulnerability to nitrate pollution, to safeguard human health and well-being.

Assessing the water quality dynamics in the coastal waters of Kollam (Kerala, India) using Sentinel images

Coastal waters are complex, dynamic, and sensitive, and any change in the system impacts the marine environment and life. Coastal water quality has been decreasing due to the incursion of anthropogenic derived waste and toxins into the ocean. This study investigates water quality along the Kollam coast of Kerala State, India, using Sentinel-2 Multispectral Imager (MSI) data for the period of 2019–2022. Four key water quality parameters, chlorophyll (Chl-a), total suspended matter (TSM), turbidity, and coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM), were analysed for seasonal variations and driving factors. The study highlights the potential of web-based platforms like Google Earth Engine for facilitating large-scale water quality assessments. The results reveal a distinct seasonal pattern in all parameters, primarily influenced by monsoonal riverine discharge and anthropogenic activities as contributing factors to water quality degradation. Overall, the study emphasises the need for comprehensive monitoring and management strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of the coastal ecosystem.

Online Gambling Addiction: A Study among College Students of Kerala State, India

Online Gambling may increase rates of disordered gambling due to its high degree of accessibility, immersive interface and simply spending money for these activities. The problem of college students developing an addiction to internet gambling has received increased attention recently in India. The availability of online gambling sites and the pervasive use of mobile devices puts a lot of college students at risk of developing a gambling addiction. Teenagers engage in both regulated and non-regulated forms of gambling. Different forms of non-regulated gambling activities include skill-based games, dice, sports betting, and card games amongst peers. Online gambling has opened the doors for entrepreneurs to be involved in fraud, theft, extortion, and money laundering in the gambling sites. This study through a questionnaire survey investigates the exponential growth of online gambling. The objective of the study is to bring out the demographic variables’ influence on online gambling addiction among college Students.

Patterns And Determinants of Utilizing In-Patient Medical Care in Uttar Pradesh and Kerala Across Public and Private Hospitals

The healthcare institutions in India providing inpatient medical care are broadly classified into public/government hospitals, private hospitals, and NGO/Charitable run hospitals. The state of Kerala predominantly had public hospitals for providing health care facilities right from its formation till the late 1980s. Since the 1990s private hospitals have outpaced public hospitals in terms of the number and availability of beds whereas Uttar Pradesh despite being largest state of the country its performance on health is very poor and always come low in the NITI Aayog index. Using the latest unit-level data from NSSO 75th round on Social Consumption: Health, the study examines the pattern and determinants of availing of inpatient medical care in Kerala and Uttar Pradesh across public and private hospitals and the expenditure differences involved. The study finds out that the proportion of people who are hospitalized in Kerala is much higher compared to the all-India average and 66 percent of those hospitalized are in the private sector. Socioeconomic factors determine the choice of a public or private hospital for inpatient care, with people belonging to the highest socioeconomic category depending more on the private sector but in both states lower income households are seeking treatment in the public hospitals.

An assessment of professional competencies and skills required for library professionals of management institutions in Kerala (India)

PurposeThis study aims to explore various skills of library professionals working in management institutions of Kerala State, India.Design/methodology/approachA survey method was used by distributing online questionnaire as a data collection tool. The questionnaires were distributed to the library professionals working in management institutions in Kerala State, India.FindingsThe study’s results revealed that the library professionals were competent with managerial, communication and interpersonal skills. Conversely, they were lacking skills in statements such as institutional repository, web 2.0 and social networks. Their familiarity level with reference management tools, research and academic ethics, electronic publishing and management of open-access resources, were also not satisfactory. They need knowledge of other ICT skills such as designing and maintaining in-house databases, video conferencing tools, advanced troubleshooting creating and managing metadata, handling RFID technology and knowledge in solving issues while organizing webinars. Based on the findings, the study has suggested some recommendations which will enable the government/institutions to take appropriate measures to improve their skills.Practical implicationsThis study will enable the policymakers to identify in which area the library professionals are weak and develop a strategy and framework for increasing the level of their skills.Originality/valueThis study provides the views of the library professionals working in management institutions in India and warrants the library professionals to enhance their skills, especially on research ethics and publications and ICT skills.

Assessing scale-dependency of climate risks in coffee-based agroforestry systems

Agroforestry is a management strategy for mitigating the negative impacts of climate and adapting to sustainable farming systems. The successful implementation of agroforestry strategies requires that climate risks are appropriately assessed. The spatial scale, a critical determinant influencing climate impact assessments and, subsequently, agroforestry strategies, has been an overlooked dimension in the literature. In this study, climate risk impacts on robusta coffee production were investigated at different spatial scales in coffee-based agroforestry systems across India. Data from 314 coffee farms distributed across the districts of Chikmagalur and Coorg (Karnataka state) and Wayanad (Kerala state) were collected during the 2015/2016 to 2017/2018 coffee seasons and were used to quantify the key climate drivers of coffee yield. Projected climate data for two scenarios of change in global climate corresponding to (1) current baseline conditions (1985–2015) and (2) global mean temperatures 2 °C above preindustrial levels were then used to assess impacts on robusta coffee yield. Results indicated that at the district scale rainfall variability predominantly constrained coffee productivity, while at a broader regional scale, maximum temperature was the most important factor. Under a 2 °C global warming scenario relative to the baseline (1985–2015) climatic conditions, the changes in coffee yield exhibited spatial-scale dependent disparities. Whilst modest increases in yield (up to 5%) were projected from district-scale models, at the regional scale, reductions in coffee yield by 10–20% on average were found. These divergent impacts of climate risks underscore the imperative for coffee-based agroforestry systems to develop strategies that operate effectively at various scales to ensure better resilience to the changing climate.