ISHS Acta Horticulturae 672: IV International Symposium on Horticultural Education, Extension and Training
HORTICULTURAL EXTENSION EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HORTICULTURE IN PUNJAB STATE OF INDIA |
| Authors: | A.S. Sandhu, W.S. Dhillon |
| Keywords: | farm advisory service, training, staff development, farmers, communication |
| Abstract:
Punjab is basically an agrarian state where 82 per cent cultivable land is under field crops, mainly cereals (paddy/wheat), cotton and sugarcane. Adoption of paddy/wheat cropping system has created many problems such as environmental, degradation of natural resources, and economic sustainability. India is the second largest world producer of fruits and vegetables with an area of 3.94 and 6.24 million hectares, respectively. However, in Punjab, the area under fruits and vegetables is only 43,000 and 101,700 hectares. There is a great need and scope to diversify the existing cropping pattern in Punjab for which extension education can play a pivotal role. Extension education is very closely linked with human resource development (HRD), which is a backbone for the success of any development program. Punjab state, which is known as food bowl of India, has a strong squad of extension workers who can motivate the farmers for adopting horticulture as entrepreneurship. The network of trained horticultural extension workers of the Directorate of Extension Education, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana has been assigned the task of providing scientific knowledge on various aspects of horticulture to the rural people for the development of horticulture through demonstrations, exhibitions and kisan melas/diwas (farmers fairs). The success in increasing the area under horticultural crops depends upon the active participation of a large number of farmers. Training to farmers, farm women and unemployed youth through well planned short/long duration courses, field demonstrations and success stories is also being imparted by Krishi Vigyan Kendras (Agriculture Science Centres) which are established at district headquarters by Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and are funded by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). For the promotion of horticulture in the state of Punjab, various horticultural extension and training programs are being carried out by the University which are discussed in this paper. | |
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