Govt forms panel to revamp agricultural education

Headed by Dr Y K Alagh,panel will revise the syllabus of the four state agricultural varsities

In a bid to revamp the outdated agricultural education in the state,the Maharashtra government has appointed a committee chaired by Dr Yoginder K Alagh,an expert on rural economics and former vice-chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University,which will revise the syllabus of the four state-run agricultural universities in the state.

Admitting that these universities are riddled with problems of mismanagement and corruption,the government has also asked the committee to give recommendations to address these problems.

An official from states Agriculture Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patils office said that the steadily declining agricultural production in the state was because of neglect of agricultural education.

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Despite scientific innovations in the field of agriculture,very few of them are reaching the farmers. Modern farming methods such as genetic modification of crops,precision techniques,hi-tech farming in controlled environment,mechanisation etc. can reach them through qualified persons. It is unfortunate that a large number of farmers living very close to Akolas agricultural university in Vidarbha committed suicide, he said.

The four state-run agricultural universities Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth in Parbhani,Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth in Dapoli,Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth in Akola and

Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth in Rahuri have an annual output of 11,000 under-graduates,post-graduates and doctorate students every year. Uttam Kadam,director of education (agriculture),said a very small percentage of these students actually take up ground-level consultations with farmers. They are absorbed in non-agricultural administrative services,banking sector,agri-businesses etc. To uplift the economic status of farmers,these students need to research in innovative techniques while keeping in mind the local needs of farmers and suggest solutions so that produce is increased, Kadam said.

The new syllabus will also take into account the geographic and climatic differences and changing climatic patterns in coastal areas,western Maharashtra,Marathwada and Vidarbha.

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The committee will also look into bringing about transparency in recruitments in the four universities. Despite owning 1000 acres of land,these universities have not been able to increase revenue receipts. The committee will look into the same.

Though Maharashtra has been a leading state in horticulture production since its inception,its vegetable production capacity has dropped drastically over the last decade.

In 2001-02,the states share was 8.02 per cent (4.02 lakh hectares) of the total land under vegetable cultivation in the country. In 2012-13,it fell to 5.25 per cent (4.77 lakh hectares).

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