KIYIT, 29 Aug: A rural agricultural work experience (RAWE) programme under the Student READY (Rural Student Entrepreneurship Awareness Development Yojana) for the final year students of Pasighat-based College of Agriculture (CoA) began at Kiyit village in East Siang district on Tuesday.
“The programme will continue for six months, with various interventions to be covered,” the college informed in a release.
CoA Dean Dr AK Tripathi, who inaugurated the programme, said that “Kiyit village has already been adopted as a satellite village of the CoA, and many more new technology demonstration programmes will be conducted in the village with the faculties’ expertise in various fields of agriculture, alongside the Student READY-RAWE activities of the final year students, so that the farmers benefit while the students get to experience the real agriculture situation in farmers’ fields.”
CoA Assistant Professor Dr Ch Victoria Devi explained that “the programme aims to provide rural entrepreneurship awareness, practical experience in real-life situation in rural agriculture, and creating awareness among undergraduate students about practical agriculture and allied sciences.”
“The programme will help in building confidence and skill, and acquiring indigenous technical knowledge of the locality and thereby preparing the pass-out for self-employment and to serve in any government or private sector. It also aims to provide opportunities to acquire hands-on experience and entrepreneurial skills,” the release stated.
Assistant Professor Dr T Matouleibi Chanu said that the RAWE programme “will provide an opportunity for the students to understand the rural setting in relation to agriculture and allied activities, to familiarise with socioeconomic conditions of farmers and their problems, to learn real field situations, especially in contact with farmers, growers, etc.”
“Along with the inaugural programme, Assistant Professors Dr Rajid Das and Dr Senpon Ngomle started the result demonstration programme on ‘scientific cultivation and hybrid seed production techniques of maize’ under the NEH component funded by IIMR, Ludhiana,” it said, and added that “30 farmers benefitted from the programme, and the seeds will be sown on 30 August in the farmers’ fields, in the presence of the experts and students.”
The results will be observed and the farmers will learn about the package and practices from which they can later start their entrepreneurial journey in this area, the release said.
