To promote entrepreneurship among the farmers and the youth, Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF), Nauni today launched eight skill development programmes in collaboration with Himachal Pradesh Kaushal Vikas Nigam (HPKVN). The programmes were launched under an MOU signed between the two organizations.
The skill development programmes were launched by UHF Vice-Chancellor Dr. Parvinder Kaushal in the presence of all the training coordinators at a ceremony organized in online and offline mode at the university.
Dr. Harish Sharma, Programmes Coordinator welcomed the chief guest and all the training coordinators from the university and the regional stations. He said the trainings will help in human resource development through intensive practical training and will promote the dissemination of generated technologies to the farming community through region-specific transfer of technology modules.
The seven-day skill development programmes have been started for fields like food processing and value addition; commercial cultivation of mushrooms; commercial beekeeping; production and processing of medicinal and aromatic plants; commercial floriculture and value addition; canopy management of temperate fruit crops; propagation and nursery management of temperate fruit crops and nursery management of subtropical fruit crops.
Dr. Anju Dhiman, Dean College of Horticulture told the university has set up a Centre for Skill Development in Agriculture and Allied Sciences under the tie-up with HPKVN. She said that the focus will be on knowledge sharing and development of skills and to develop industry-relevant content to improve learning outcomes. She informed that 45 basic level training and 16 masters level will be held under the programme which will benefit 1220 farmers from the state.
Addressing the gathering virtually, Dr. Saneel Thakur, GM HPKVN congratulated the university on the programme launch. He assured that HPKVN will provide all necessary support to the university and the trainees to start their ventures. He said that the MOU aims to train skilled manpower for entrepreneurship as well as industry.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Parvinder Kaushal thanked HPKVN for partnering with the university and upgrading the skills of the farmers. He said that the eight disciplines which have been chosen have vast potential in Himachal Pradesh and farmers can not only earn their livelihood but also become job providers. He stated that the trainees must utilize the technical expertise of the university and with the help of the various government schemes look to start their own enterprise in these disciplines.
Dr. Kaushal informed that out of the total 61 training, 27 will be held in the main campus at Nauni, eight at College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri, and five at College of Horticulture and Forestry, Thunag. The Krishi Vigyan Kendras and the Research stations of the university will hold seven and 14 trainings respectively. Dr. Kaushal added that the university will choose the best performing trainees for the masters training programmes so that they can be trained for imparting further trainings to the farmers.
Programme Co-coordinator Dr. Dharmesh Gupta thanked Dr. Kumud Singh, MD HPKVN and her team for entrusting the university with the task of training the youth in agri-horti activities. Director Research Dr. Ravinder Sharma, Director Extension Education Dr. Divender Gupta, Librarian Dr. HR Sharma, SWO Dr. JK Dubey, Comptroller CR Sharma, HODs and scientists from the university and outstations, and participants attended the event.
