Jammu University organises daylong field trip for students on agricultural marketing to have field-based learning
JAMMU, May 22: In continuation with the visionary approach of the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu, Professor Umesh Rai, towards organising field-based and experiential learning programmes for the student community, Dr. Vivek Sharma, Senior Assistant Professor and lead teacher of Agriculture Marketing at Department of Lifelong Learning organised a day-long field trip for the students of Semester IV of MA in Rural Development.
The Vice-Chancellor has already directed the University teachers to take initiatives for strengthening the community-based university interventions, particularly Agriculture which still exists as the mainstay of rural masses.
Further, the Vice Chancellor endeavours to introduce job-oriented courses that are in sync with the emerging national and global trends as well as relevant to the market requirements which would increase employability and enhance innovation and entrepreneurship among the students.
The field trip assumes greater significance against the backdrop of the launch of the project named Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP) by the government of Jammu & Kashmir in April this year that aims to strengthen the existing market infrastructure and create a robust market ecosystem that caters to the needs of all the stakeholders.
“In current times, the challenge remains in integrating smallholder’s produce with market systems that are both effective and transparent which will ensure that farmers receive a fair price for their goods while consumers get good value for their money,” Dr Vivek Sharma said.
“In view of HADP project of the J&K government, these field trips are indispensable as they encourage students to learn and innovate, and enable them to take advantage of career opportunities that come their way,” Dr Sharma added.
During the field trip, the students were first taken to the Vegetable and Fruit Mandi, Narwal where they were thoroughly made to understand the market structure of both the agriculture and horticulture produce of Jammu region.
Thereafter, the students visited the godown of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) at Channi Rama where they were apprised of the critical role played by FCI in storing and transporting food grains. At the FCI, the trip was facilitated by Sh. Ravi Kumar, Depot Manager and Divya Sharma, Quality Inspector at FCI.
Later, students and faculty had an interaction with the farmers and understood the processing of agricultural produce during their visit to Sarveshwar Rice Overseas Limited which is a prominent exporter of agricultural produce in the Jammu region.
Dr.Vivek Sharma was Assisted by Sh.Mahesh Verma, Joint Director Agriculture Jammu, Sanjeev Khajuria, Technical Officer Agriculture and Anaytullah Khan, Marketing Inspector, Horticulture during this field trip.
(NOTE: PRESS RELEASE PUBLISHED AS RECEIVED)
