“Indian society and agriculture are linked to each other as more than 26 crore people are dependent on agriculture. But, unfortunately, around 30% of students after becoming graduates from agricultural universities are opting different sectors, except for agriculture. This has adversely impacted the agriculture sector,” Chief Executive Officer of the National Rain-fed Area Authority, Government of India, Ashok Dalawai has said.
He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating a national conference on “National Education Policy-2020 for Comprehensive Agricultural Education: initiatives, challenges and a way forward”, organised at the University of Agricultural Sciences in Raichur on Tuesday.
Urging universities to produce visionary students, Dr. Dalawai said that students should encourage the agriculture sector by involving themselves with agriculturists and suggesting to them to adopt new technologies and methods to make agriculture a profitable sector. “The agriculture sector should transform itself and gain strength to face the new challenges by correcting its errors,” he added.
He said that despite all odds, the agriculture sector is becoming a Vishwa Guru by adopting new education systems and policies. “Thus, the importance of agriculture should be taught to students from the primary stage ensuring that the education system is changing from a teacher-centric system to a student-centric system,” Dr. Dalawai said.
Vice-Chancellor of UAS Raichur K.N. Kattimani said that discussions in this national conference will help agricultural education to bring in changes as the UAS Raichur has been striving to have a comprehensive agricultural education.
Retired Vice-Chancellor I.V. Benagi, administrative members of UAS Kotreppa Korer and Sunil Kumar Verma, S. Prabhu Kumar, D.M. Chandaragi, B.K. Desai, Satyanarayana Rao, Bheemanna and Channabasavanna and others were present.
