Central Agriculture University Lamphelpat kicks off ICAR- Summer School 2019
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 27 2019: Directorate of Instruction, Central Agricultural University Lamphelpat kicked off ICAR- Summer School 2019 at the conference hall of CAU Iroisemba today, under the aegis of Education Division, ICAR, New Delhi.

The programme under the topic, "Agricultural Education, Entrepreneurship and skill development in India" will continue till September 16.Altogether 23 individuals are taking part in the summer school, including 16 from outside the State.

Speaking on the occasion as the chief guest, VC of CAU Imphal Prof M Premjit conveyed the necessity for education and entrepreneurship to go hand in hand so as to encourage students/youth to lean more towards farming as a profession.

Central Agriculture University Lamphelpat kicks off ICAR- Summer School 2019

Maintaining that over 2058 farmers leaving behind farming as a profession, daily, has become a major issue, the VC maintained that it is high time to deliberate on how to make farming more lucrative or profitable.

This matter is critical as the production will decrease dramatically if the farmers continue to leave farming on a daily basis, he remarked while adding that the State will have to eventually import goods which in turn will affect the State's revenue.

In order to solve this problem, the time has come to congregate education with agripreneurship or entrepreneurship, Premjit stressed.

The total population of India comprises of 57 percent youth and around 60 crore youth have finished graduate and post-graduate.

However, it is impossible for Government to provide jobs to all the youths, added the VC.

He continued that being a job seeker has become overrated, instead the youth should rather focus on being a job provider or job creator.

The reasons why the field of agriculture is not considered as an attractive profession is because of many factors including low income but high risk, general notion that being a farmer decreases one's dignity, lack of motivation, insufficient financial support etc, Premjit informed.

Maintaining that doubling farmers income does not always have to depend on paddy or vegetable farming, the VC maintained that high tech agriculture can be looked as a new and effective aspect.

Vice Chancellor, CAU Imphal Professor M Premjit, Additional PCCF, (Working plan, research and training, GoM) Dr Lokho Puni, Director of Extension Education, CAU Imphal Prof Ratan Kumar Saha, Dean of College of Agriculture, Iroisemba Prof Indira Sarangthem, Dean of College of Food Technology Imphal Prof Y Jekendra, Registrar CAU Imphal Professor K Momocha and Director of Instruction CAU Imphal Dr S Basanta attended the function as dignitaries.

Summer School Manual and Books on Farmers Sustainable Income were released during the function.