SHRI AJIT SINGH CALLS FOR CORRECTING
INADEQUACIES IN FARM EDUCATION
VICE
CHANCELLORS MEET TO DISCUSS NATIONAL POLICY ON AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
The Agriculture Minister
Shri Ajit Singh has called for reorienting agricultural education
to make it relevant to the emerging challenges in the context
of globalisation and opening up of economies. He was inaugurating
the two-day Conference of Vice Chancellors of State Agriculture
Universities here today. Shri Ajit Singh said "competition
posed by globalisation and opening up of economies, ethical issues
of trade related intellectual property rights, genetically modified
foods and organisms and enforcement of strict quality regimes
need immediate attention". He expressed concern over inadequate
knowledge base about intellectual property rights and said the
government could not find five qualified persons for special teaching
assignments in this regard.
Shri Ajit Singh said
the government is in favour of conferring statutory powers on
the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to ensure uniformity
and quality in agricultural education in the country. Due to lack
of such powers with the ICAR various states are setting up farm
universities without any consideration for man-power requirement
and academic and financial sustainability. He called for creating
a class of grass-roots level workers, technicians and para professionals
capable of handling services like soil testing, seed production,
elite planting material, artificial insemination, disease surveillance
grading and marketing etc. The Minister observed that there was
a need for introducing farm education at the school level. Only
Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are offering agricultural education
at higher secondary level.
Referring to the
financial problems of farm universities Shri Ajit Singh said they
deserved more support both from the Central and State governments
but resource constraints are a handicap for both. He said the
Universities shall endeavour to stand on their own by generating
at least 20% of their revenues from internal efforts. Without
going for crass commercialisation the universities could mobilise
resources through sharing of their technologies and knowledge
with the industry and others as also through other initiatives.
Shri Ajit Singh said seminars and workshops on WTO related issues
need to be organised with farmers’ participation to enhance their
understanding.
Dr. Mangala Rai,
Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research said
the country do not as yet have a national policy on agricultural
education. He said there was a need for the farm universities
to avoid duplication of efforts by specialising in identified
areas. Ms. Krishna Bhatnagar, Principal Advisor in the Planning
Commission observed that the most profound indicator of backwardness
in any part of the country is low agricultural productivity.
The two day conference
of Vice Chancellors will deliberate on national policy on agricultural
education, commercialisation of agricultural education, introduction
of agricultural education at school level, restructuring of undergraduate
education etc.
