One Month attachment Program for Students of Agriculture Organized by ICAR Tripura Centre.
A one month (5th Aug - 4th Sep) attachment programmer for Rural Agricultural Work Experience (RAWE) programme under newly initiated Rural Entrepreneurship Development Yojana (READY) was organized for the B, Sc. (Hons) students of College of Agriculture, Tripura at ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Tripura Centre, Lembucherra, Agartala. The objective of the programme was to develop practical skill of students and make them ready to face real world challenges and promote entrepreneurship among them. In the inaugural cum Orientation Programme, the Joint Director of the Institute Dr. B. K. Kandpal stressed upon the importance of exposure to real farm operations for the students which will make them ready as future Agri-Officers and provide them opportunity to deal with the practical situations. Case studies which emanate when students work hand in hand with the farmers will make them empathetic to the farming conditions and problems prevalent in the state. Dr. D. Debbarma, Asst. Prof., CAT expressed his expectations from the programme and asked the students to utilize the opportunity to develop their skill and experiences. The Coordinator of the programme Dr. Anup Das highlighted the activities that were proposed to be taken up by the students during the course of one month under supervision of scientists and experts from different subjects. He also emphasized upon the value of team work and multidisciplinary approach in farming that will help the students develop an insight for their agriculture careers.
In the following 29 days the students were divided into 4 groups with five members in each group. They were exposed to various modules as designed by the coordinators like Conservation Agriculture for sustainable agriculture, integrated Farming Systems, Horticulture, Integrated Nutrient Management, Integrated Pest Management, Weed Management, Stress Physiology, Mushroom Cultivation, Fisheries, Poultry, Livestock management, Biotechnology etc. with emphasis on practical learning and skill development. It was followed by a practical exposure to Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) conducted in Brahma Puskurini village adopted by ICAR under SCSP-NICRA. During the students were given exposure to various PRA modules for obtaining socio-economic information, problem identification and developing strategy for agricultural development for the area. In addition to this, the students were also assigned with various case studies from time to time like: Reasons for low productivity of Rice, Backyard farming model, Integrated farming system, Low cost Mushroom cultivation, Economic analysis of various fish culture ponds, Designing of a low cost poultry house etc. Through these case studies the students generated information regarding the problems and through their wisdom created a window of opportunities to address these problems. Frequent interaction program of scientists/technical and students were organized for giving proper guidance to the students and motivated them to achieve the goal.
On the concluding day, the students gave individual presentations outlining their activities during the one month period, which was appreciated by the scientists and teachers. Valedictory programme was conducted in the meeting hall of ICAR Tripura in the presence of Joint Director in-charge Dr. K. K Barman, Dr. Anup Das, Coordinator of attachment program, Dr. Debashis Sen, Principal, College of Agriculture, Tripura (CAT), Dr. D. Debabarma, Nodal Officer, RAWE programme, CAT and other scientists of the institute. During the feedback sessions students expressed their satisfaction for attending the program at ICAR Tripura Center. Principal of CAT thanked the ICAR and requested for further strengthening of the collaboration among ICAR and CAT for the `agricultural development in Tripura. Certificates were distributed to the students by the Joint Director, Coordinator and Principal followed by vote of thanks by Dr. Lopa Mudra Sahoo, Sr. Scientist, Fisheries, ICAR Tripura Centre. The one month programme was coordinated by team of scientists comprising Dr. Anup Das as coordinator and Drs. Lopa Mudra Sahoo, GS Yadav, A Ganga Rani Devi and Dr. Vinay Singh as Co-coordinators. Drs. KK Barman, Anup Das, Lopa Mudra Sahoo, Chandan Debnath, GS Yadav, Rekha Das, Lembisana Devi, Ranjit Singh Godara, Satyapriya Singh along with many Technical Officers, Research Associates has served as resource persons for various modules during the one month attachment programme of students at ICAR Tripura Centre, Lembucherra, Tripura.
