Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 8: A three-day interdisciplinary, VII National seminar of the Society for Community Mobilization for Sustainable Development (MOBILIZATION) on “Sustainable Rural Livelihood: Technological and Institutional Perspective”, began today at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) of Jammu at its main campus, Chatha.
Dr P L Gautam, former Chairperson, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority, Government of India, inaugurated the seminar, which is being hosted by the Division of Agricultural Extension Education, Faculty of Agriculture, SKUAST Jammu. About 300 delegates from all over India are participating in the seminar.
In the inaugural session, two eminent Agriculture scientists namely Dr A G Sawant, former Chairman, Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi and Dr Pradeep K Sharma, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST of Jammu were given the lifetime achievement awards for their contribution to the agriculture, research, education, extension and administration.
Dr P L Gautam, who was the chief guest at the inaugural function, said that the country is today facing the problem of plenty as compared to the problem of scarcity earlier.
In his presidential address, Dr Pradeep K Sharma, Vice Chancellor SKUAST Jammu, emphasized that there is a loss of productivity due to the resource degradation, climate change and policies need to be formulated to make land an economic viable entity.
Dr J P Sharma, the president of the society and Joint Director, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, gave a broader over view of the present agriculture scenario and elaborated on attracting and Retaining Rural Youth in Agriculture (ARYA).
Dr K S Risam, Director Extension and Co-patron of the national seminar, informed that the researchers, academicians and extension professional and Post graduate students from all over the country were attending the national seminar.
S A Pande, CGM, NABARD emphasized about the mandates of NABARD, and initiatives taken to improve rural livelihood of farmers.
Organizing secretary of the seminar, Dr Rakesh Nanda, Professor and Head Division of Agricultural Extension Education presented a formal vote of thanks. The dignitaries present on the occasion were H U Khan fonder Vice- Chancellor SKUAST of Jammu, Dr Devanand, Vice-Chancellor Central University Jammu, Dr M S Gill, former Director Extension Education PAU, Ludhiana, Dr G Trivedi, Dr S S Jamwal, Director Agriculture, Jammu.
The proceedings were conducted by Fatima Bano and G S Mahra.
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