1.  INTRODUCTION AND COMMENCEMENT:
Dakshina Kannada District (Formarly South Kanara District), is situated between the western ghats and the Arebian Sea and forms a narrow strip of land. The District is about 145 K.M. Since the average rain fall is 400 Cms; there are a number of streams and 21 rivers out of which a few are perennial.

Paddy is the only major crop is being grown in three distinct seasons in the district.
1. Kharif - South West Monsoon - June to October -Rainfed.
2. Rabi    - North East Monsoon - October to January - partly rainfed and portly irrigated.
3. Kolake - summer - January to April - Irrigated.
A pulse crop either pure or mixed with green manure crop is usually raised after the harvest of paddy in single and double crop paddy lands. Chillies and vegetables are grown in areas where irrigation facilities exist. Sugar cane is grown over an area about 15,000 acres. Coconut and Arecanut are chief Garden crops.

The irrigation is from the four major sources i.e.,
1) Mud Kattas (2) Tanks (3) Pump sets (4) Vented Dams, Anicuts and salt water Exclusion Dams.

In Dakshina Kannada, All the rivers are flooded during monsoon and will go almost dry during summer. None of the rivers are suitable for irrigation. Hence the only alternate is lift irrigation, Digging Wells, installing suitable pumpsets.

The farmers in the district are economically weaker sections. Most of them are small and marginal farmers. To purchase a pumpsets is not an easy task for them. Most of them were tenants. Hence getting a loan from commercial Banks (which were under private sector) or form a co -op. Society was very difficult. Naturally these-people had to approach private money lenders for loans with very high rate of interest. This point was the point of their exploitation.

In 1962 "The South Kanara Agricultural Development Co-operative Society Ltd.," was established under the leadership of Late Shri. T.A. Pai, Veteran co-operator, Economist and Statesman.

With its area of operation extending over the entire revenue district of South Kanara, this Society was registered on 10-9-1962 under the Karnataka Co-op. Societies Act, and started functioning on 10-11-1962. It started to supply irrigation pump sets to the needy farmers on hire purchase agreement on the hypothecation of the machinery itself. This was well received by the farmers. Later on as per the directions of the Reserve Bank of India, the financing was taken over by the South Kanara District Central CO-op. Bank Ltd., and the Society remained as the agency to distribute Agricultural Machineries in the district.

Dakshina Kannada District has been since divided into two separate revenue districts, namely, Dakshina Kannada District and Udupi District. The area of operation of the Society has also been extended to three districts, namely, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kodgu Districts.

2.  OBJECTS AND FUNCTIONING:  The Main objects of the Society is to supply Agricultural Machineries, Implements and render service after sales. Later on society also took up the Bio-gas scheme to implement in the district. Transport vehicles to the member farmers at concessional hire is an additional service rendered by the Society. In 1974, Society started a small scale Industry for manufacturing spare parts, implements, etc. In 1983, the Society has established a Training unit, in the name of "T.A. Pai Memorial Rural Employment Training and Guidance Centre" to train unemployed rural youths in the repairs of agricultural Machineries.

The agricultural Machineries are directly procured from the manufacturers. There are no middlemen, which is the main point of exploitation. Hence it is possible to the society to supply these items at a very reasonable price to the farmers. 40% to 50% of the Trade discount allowed to the society by the manufacturers, is passed to the buying farmers. Buying Agricultural Machineries from the society will also be a token of guarantee to the financing Bank, regarding proper utilization of the advances made by them.

The society has its 10 Branches spread over the area of operation. It is pleasure to state that the farmers of the neighboring districts were also got benefited from the services rendered by this society. To serve better, society has opened a Branch at Kumta, in Uttara Kannada District with special permission from the Govt. As already said, it had since diversified its activities from the sale and services of all types of agricultural Machineries, solar lighting, solar water heater, Training rural youths for self Employment, distributing domestic appliances required to the farmers, etc. The Society is having its own workshop, well equipped. Power tiller Trailers, Stone cutting accessories to power Tillers, Spares and accessories for Pumpsets and Power Tillers, other Agricultural implements etc are manufactured in the workshop.