ICAR-CIBA, Chennai conducted ‘Agricultural Education Day’ on 3rd December 2016 to create awareness to the school children on the importance of agriculture and vitality of agriculture education. School students, a total of 66 along with 5 teachers from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Island grounds, Chennai; Kendriya Vidyalaya, CLRI, Adyar, Chennai and GTA Vidhya Mandir, Neelankarai, Chennai participated in the programme.
Dr.K.K.Vijayan, Director ICAR-CIBA, in his introductory remarks highlighted the importance of providing food to burgeoning population in the coming years and asked students to think about becoming agriculture scientists, entrepreneurs and development workers in fulfilling the noble objective of feeding millions of people. He also emphasised the country needs, the number of animal doctors and fish doctors for increasing agricultural production along with doctors for the treatment of human beings.
Dr.V.M.Sankaran, Chief guest Professor and Head, Department of Agronomy, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai started his speech highlighting the use of cloth, leather and other agro products in day to day life by all of us apart from food. He gave an exposure to the students on agricultural, horticultural, veterinary and fishery education avenues and career options that have good employment scope for the students. The supply of agricultural graduates is almost only half of the projected requirement. In students’ interaction session which followed, the students got their queries clarified from the expertise. The students’ questions were focused on qualifications, admission procedures and cut-off marks required to get admission in agriculture, animal husbandry and degree courses which were answered. Students were interested to know more about organic farming, terrace garden, hydroponics, education/employment opportunities abroad. A couple of questions were raised on risks in agriculture and agriculture trade which were answered. One of the teachers who accompanied the students highlighted the orientation of parents and students towards medicine and engineering studies after higher secondary education. She requested that ICAR-CIBA should conduct more such awareness programmes for school students exposing them to other avenues like agriculture and allied courses.
The meeting started with the welcome address by Dr.D.Deboral Vimala, Principal Scientist and Dr T. Ravisankar, Principal Scientist and SIC, ITM-ABI Unit proposed the vote of thanks.
