Helping the farm sector
SHANKAR BENNUR
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KSOU, UAS jointly offer innovative certificate courses
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Now, the ‘sons of the soil’ can improvise on their farming skills not in their agricultural fields, but in the classrooms. Farmers are given an opportunity to adopt proven and effective practices in agriculture to reap a rich harvest, besides diversifying into allied activities.
The Karnataka State Open University of Mysore and Bangalore-based University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) have come together to enable farmers and also those interested in agriculture understand scientific and emerging farming techniques better. Short-term certificate courses under distance learning mode have been launched from this academic year.
MoU signed
The course content has been designed by a panel of UAS faculty and the KSOU will award certificates. The universities recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to launch the courses.
The syllabus has been prepared for today’s farm scenario, catering to varied needs of farmers who are being encouraged to adopt new opportunities such as food processing.
Those who have considered themselves as literate with or without formal education qualification are eligible to pursue the courses.
Five certificate courses with duration of six months each are being offered from this year. The courses include custom hiring, repair and maintenance of agricultural machineries; food processing and preservation; seed production; nursery management; and bio-fertilizers, organic manures, bio-pesticides and bio-agents production.
Nominal fees
The total fees, including examination fees, for each course is Rs. 500. The course prospectus and study materials are under preparation.
The resource centres of UAS in the State will be made use for hands-on training.
The KSOU and the UAS are contemplating to write to the State government to give preference to those who complete these courses while making appointments in the Departments of Horticulture and Agriculture.
With the increase in mechanisation of agricultural operations, there is heavy demand for skilled and semi-skilled labour who can repair and maintain agricultural machinery and set up the custom hiring centre in rural areas. Hence the course in custom hiring has been introduced.
At present, small and marginal farmers are inclined towards custom hiring due to human drudgery, high maintenance cost of draught animals and non-availability of agricultural labourers.
In the second course, farmers and others will be exposed to 14 different aspects food processing and preservation.
Attempts are underway to involve more farmers in seed production by making them aware of the incentives offered by the Central Government. The third course gives a complete overview of the seed industry in India and its importance, with focus on the concept of GM seed production and hybrid seed production.
Nursery management is also gaining importance due to the economies involved in the enterprise.
The course on nursery management gives opportunity for hands-on training in addition to theoretical aspects such as plant propagation, planning of nursery unit and raising of nursery plants.
Soil mixture, containers and sterilisation, use of chemicals for seed treatment and sowing, preparation of nursery beds, propagation of plant materials and so on are covered in the practical part of nursery management.
In the course on bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides and bio-agents production, details of organic manures, vermin composting, preparation of vermin products, microbial enrichment techniques and mushroom cultivation will be taught.
For further information, call Course Coordinator Harsha on 94491 78802.
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