JOLLANG, 12 Aug: The agriculture department of the Himalayan University (HU) here organised an orientation programme on rural agriculture work experience (RAWE) for its BSc (agriculture) final year students on Saturday.
HU vice chancellor Prof Kuldeep K Sharma, who inaugurated the programme, provided information about the farming systems of Arunachal Pradesh and about skill-oriented courses such as mushroom production, apiculture, vermicomposting, hydroponics, etc.
“Prof Sharma spoke also about the signing of MoUs with several government departments and directorates, and permitted the students for RAWE to work in rural areas of Arunachal,” the university informed in a release.
HU registrar Dr K Karthikayen committed to “support the HU agriculture department for the benefit of the students and to establish the placement cell for the employment of students in future.”
HU research dean Dr Debaprasad spoke about the impact of chemical fertilisers on human health, and suggested reducing the use of fertilisers for farming and replacing it with organic manures.
HU agriculture HoD Dr Raja Husain spoke about the purposes of RAWE and the crop production systems of Arunachal.
“Arunachal Pradesh has the first rank in kiwi production at the national level,” he informed, and added that “Arunachal’s kiwi is raised in pure organic form and is the best in quality.”
“Dr Husain dwelt also on establishing a demonstration unit of hydroponics, vermicomposting, apiculture, and irrigation management system inside the university campus for firsthand training of the agriculture students and farmers of Arunachal, which shall help them to increase the chances for livelihood in future,” the release read.
HU agriculture faculty member Dr Sonbeer Chack enumerated “the guidelines or RAWE dissertation work for students,” and told them how they must work during the RAWE project.
“Every student must choose at least a single farmer of a rural area and collect the data according to ICAR guidelines of RAWE,” he informed.
