TURA: With an aim to impart training to rural youths and school dropouts, a three-day training programme for intensification and diversification for enhancement of income kicked off at the Agriculture Training Centre, Warima under Chokpot in South Garo Hills on Wednesday.
KVK Chokpot, being the only centre to have been selected by CCS NIAM in Meghalaya organised the programme which was sponsored by the Choudhury Charan Singh National Institute of Agricultural Marketing, Jaipur, Rajasthan.
It may be mentioned that the programme has been designed to target the rural youth and school dropouts especially in South Garo Hills by engaging them in agriculture and allied activities and by developing their skills and knowledge for entrepreneurship in these fields.
Theory and practical lessons will be taught including exposure visits to places like Marapara and Dalu Block for interaction with progressive farmers falling under the Integrated Farming System Model.
Topics comprise of rabbit farming, cropping system, mushroom cultivation, value addition of fruits and vegetables, low cost water harvesting structure, integrated farming system, vermi composting, integrated fish culture, livestock management practices, bee keeping, production of off-season vegetable crops and paddy-cum-fish culture.
A total of 40 trainees were selected by KVK from different villages under Chokpot C&RD Block.
Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Chokpot Civil Sub-Division, Dolrich BG Momin spoke at length on the importance of the training programme and encouraged the trainees to learn the technical skills during the training.
Stating that agriculture and allied sector has vast scope for economic upliftment in the area, he urged the trainees to put into practice their acquired skills for self employment and income generation in future.
Eminent resource persons comprising of Athokpam Haribhushan, senior scientist and head of KVK, SGH, Rupam Bhattacharya, subject matter specialist (SMS), livestock, KVK, Chokpot, Rike CA Sangma, SMS, Agronomy, Tanya R Marak, SMS, plant protection, Basu Langpoklampam, SMS, Horticulture, Bishorjit Ningthoujam, SMS, agriculture engineering, Monika Devi, SMS, fisheries and Silberth Ch Sangma, fishery officer, SGH will be teaching their respective subjects during the sessions.
