BASAR, 12 Feb: Altogether 148 students of Classes 8, 10 and 11 from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Kombo, West Siang district, were taken on an education exposure visit to the ICAR Arunachal Pradesh Centre here in Leparada district on Thursday.
Accompanied by faculty members, the students were introduced to cutting-edge agricultural research, climate-resilient farming practices, and diverse career opportunities in agricultural sciences.
During an interaction with the participants, ICAR AP Centre Head (i/c) Dr Raghuveer Singh outlined the mandates, strategic research domains, and key technological interventions undertaken to strengthen hill agriculture. He also conducted a presented a demonstration on oyster and button mushroom cultivation, highlighting their role in nutritional security, livelihood diversification, and enhancing farmers’ income under hill farming systems.
Agronomy senior scientist Dr Sanjay Kumar Pandey provided insights into region-specific agronomic crops and elaborated on the integrated farming system (IFS) model implemented at the centre. He explained how the model improves resource-use efficiency, reduces production risks, and promotes long-term farm sustainability. He further discussed natural farming practices and millet-based production systems within the framework of climate-resilient agriculture.
Fruit science expert Dr T Angami introduced the students to horticultural and exotic fruit crops, emphasising their commercial viability, nutritional value, and potential for diversification in hill agriculture. He also showcased floriculture crops such as tulip, gerbera, gladiolus, and lilium, underlining the expanding scope of flower cultivation in the region.
Genetics and plant breeding senior scientist Dr Patu Kate Zeliang spoke about the ‘crop cafeteria’ approach, along with strategies for crop diversification and conservation of plant genetic resources.
A session on livestock and allied sciences was led by Technical Officer Dr Bali Yomgam, who elaborated scientific animal husbandry practices, reproductive management, and the integration of livestock within mixed and integrated farming systems.
The students were also introduced to the emerging applications of artificial intelligence and drone technologies in modern agriculture, particularly in precision farming, crop monitoring, and smart farm management.
The programme fostered scientific temper and deepened awareness about the vital role of agricultural research and innovation in ensuring food, nutritional, and livelihood security.
