In July 2019, the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) announced that it would establish a Centre for Advanced Agricultural Science and Technology (CAAST) in order to develop knowledge and skill in coconut-based secondary agriculture. The Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) has approved the project under the CAAST component of the National Agricultural Higher Education Programme. For this, project the ICAR has approved ` 24.73 crore, of which the state government will bear ` 5 crore.
The university has contended that it has the strength in the emerging areas of industrial processing and value addition in coconut, viz., production of Neera, extraction of virgin coconut oil, and its byproducts, and making quality furniture from coconut wood. The university has also developed the first coconut hybrid in the world.
The activities of the centre to be established would be coordinated by the Coconut Research Station, Balaramapuram; College of Horticulture; Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (KCAET); and the Regional Agricultural Research Station.