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Classroom teaching mooted for farmers

BHUBANESWAR: With students pursuing agriculture science in universities vying for white-collar jobs and farmers struggling to cope with changing dynamics in farm fields, Orissa University of Agriculture Technology (OUAT) has come out with innovative programmes to train farmers directly.

Agro poly-technique diploma certificate course, which is being dubbed as unique, is aimed at creating technical manpower in the farming community. Farmers who have passed matriculation examination are eligible to get the classroom teaching.

Farmers will undergo training under direct supervision of scientists for nine months. While during first three months, they will acquire knowledge of general agriculture and in the next six months job-specific operating technical education will be imparted on allied sectors.

“Farmers will get basic knowledge about farming, animal husbandry, rainwater harvesting, soil conservation, pest management, dairy and prawn culture. The certificate course will enhance their eligibility to secure bank loans,” OUAT Vice- Chancellor D.P.Ray said.

He said this was perhaps the first attempt when scientists would reach out to farmers with institutional teaching module, Mr. Ray said.

The diploma course will come out in the proximity of Krishi Vigyan Kendras in Deogarh and Boudh district. Western Orissa Development Council (WODC) has agreed to extend its support for infrastructure development. Speaking at a meet of senior agricultural scientists’ here on Saturday, WODC chairman Niranjan Panda said graduate and post-graduates students in agricultural science had lack of confidence to take up farming. There was even crisis in transferring research outputs to farmers which necessitated to enable farmers to meet the challenges, Mr. Panda said.

He said those who would get the training would never leave their village and use the knowledge on farmland. “Suppose a villager gets to know about managing pests, he would be readily available in the village itself to help out others.

On the other hand he could earn his livelihood,” Mr. Panda said.

The diploma course would cover wide range of agricultural allied subjects.

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