Home

About the program

Program Schedule

List of participants

Photo Gallery

News letters 

Reports

Orientation programme on agriculture and allied areas to the students of Amrita School of Journalism, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu was organized during 17-26 October, 2005 at MANAGE for 14 participants (1 faculty & 13 students). All these participants were from nonagricultural backgrounds like economics, multimedia, journalism English literature etc. The course was developed based for agriculture and allied areas with the following objectives.

 1.      To understand the critical importance of agriculture and allied areas.

2.      To develop basic knowledge on the elements and practices of agriculture and allied areas.

3.      To appreciate the problems related to agriculture and allied areas to promote farmer’s interest.

COURSE DESIGN

            10 days tailor made module was designed keeping the nonagricultural background of the participants in view and also future challenges of journalists in agriculture and allied areas. The module was developed to orient the fundamental items by covering 29 topics on agriculture; horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries and general topics related to agriculture and allied areas in addition to 2 field visits.  To make the participants more understand the following mechanism was adopted.

TRAINING METHODOLOGY:

1.      Lectures with audio visual aids

2.      Interactive sessions

3.      Exposure visits

4.      Brainstorming sessions were organized at the end of each day on the topics dealt.

5.      Before starting of the each session 5 minutes orientation was given on the terminology used in each topic.

6.      Every day morning (before starting of the class) 2 minutes presentation was given by each participant on lessons dealt during previous day. 

7.      Guest faculty was briefed about the background of the participants and also the level of training to be given.

            The course was inaugurated by Sri K.V. Satyanarayana, IAS, Director General, MANAGE along with Dr. M.N.Reddy, Director (Agricultural Extension & Communication) and Coordinator of the programme  and Sri Venkat Pulapaka, Head of Amritha School of Journalism. The details of the 10 days programme organized for agriculture and allied areas was explained below.

            The important factors for crop production were dealt under agriculture. Main topics covered were importance of climatic factors in agriculture, management of soil, nutrients, water, crop and plant protection.

Under climatic factors the difference between weather and climate, importance of weather forecasts and the important elements like rainfall, solar radiation, temperature, wind speed, wind direction and relative humidity which influence the crop growth and yields of all crops were discussed.

            Land utilization, soil survey types and objectives, soil sampling objectives and procedures, soil analysis, interpretation of results, electrical conductivity and PH were explained under soils. To get more clarity soil analysis was demonstrated in the classroom with the kit developed by ANGRAU scientists for the farmers.

Integrated water management, Integrated nutrient management, Integrated pest management for Integrated crop management were dealt in detail for different crops.

            The main things covered in this area were importance of horticulture (including fruits, vegetables, flowers, medicinal & aromatic plants) in present scenario, production, post-harvest management and processing of important vegetables and fruits, difference between horticulture & field crops, different propagation techniques & export potentialities.

            Livestock Importance, production management strategies, fodder production strategies etc. were dealt under livestock. Under poultry management rearing of layer birds, Japanese quails, ducks, turkeys on backyard, emu birds, guinea fowls were highlighted.

            Participants were oriented on the importance of fish cultivation, pre-process handling of aquaculture products, management practices influencing product quality, packaging, transport etc. 

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING:

            To alert the future journalists about the present challenges in marketing of agricultural & allied produce not only in international markets but also in domestic markets, one session on market led extension – challenges and future strategy for farmers & extension system was organized.

            Subsequently one field visit to ‘Mehdipatnam Rythu Bazar’ was organized to explain about the Marketing Concept developed for farmers.

Participants were also enlightened on the importance of organic farming not only in the light of WTO but also for sustainable agriculture, which is the need for the present day cultivation.

Participants were exposed to the management of agricultural extension systems existed in the country both past and the present. The benefits of the new dimensions in agricultural extension management were explained in detail with ATMA model.

One session on women in agriculture was organized for bringing the women into mainstream.

The approach of extension has been changed from individual to group under the new dimensions of agricultural extension management. Keeping the participants future reporting need in view a session on farmers organization was arranged.

Awareness was created to the participants on WTO and its implications on Indian agriculture.

Participants were oriented on ITKs for reorienting our research efforts based on ITKs keeping the traditional wisdom existed with the Indian farmers to break through the stagnation of agriculture in the country.

The present day challenge of the farmers is the availability of the information in time. To reduce the time lag in information participants were also oriented on utilization of information technology in farm journalism.

Participants were oriented in “Farm Journalism in Agriculture” for reporting   the issues of agriculture and allied areas on what to report? How to report? And when to report? for the benefit of farmers, planners and administrators.

Based on the extension principle ‘Seeing Is Believing’ one field visit to crop cafeteria of ANGRAU farm having field crops, horticultural plants, forestry plants and fodder crops was organized to create an awareness about farm activities. Another field visit was organized to meteorological laboratory of ARI for orienting them on measuring weather elements like rainfall, temperature etc.

VALEDICTORY SESSION:

 Sri K.V. Satyanarayana, IAS, Director General, MANAGE along with Dr. M.N.Reddy, Director (Agricultural Extension & Communication) and Coordinator of the programme and Sri Venkat Pulapaka, Head of Amritha School of Journalism attended the valedictory session.  DG, MANAGE interacted with the participants on overall view of the programme and Director (Agricultural Extension & Communication) and Coordinator of the programme Dr. M.N.Reddy distributed the certificates 

OVERALL OBSERVATIONS OF THE COURSE:

            The overall observation of the course is that the participants appreciated the technical sessions, where theory was taught coupled with hands on experience (practicals) on the field.   And the technical sessions, where only theory was taught did not attract the participants; for example sessions on IPM / INM / irrigation management etc. Besides the technical subjects the general topics like women in agriculture, post harvest technologies were highly appreciated.  This implies that the level of understanding of the participants was less on the topics that are purely technical and demands comprehension of background knowledge. These observations indicate that practical exposure should be given more weight-age in future courses. 

The overall rating of the course was 8.64 and over all design of the course was 8.43

FOLLOW UP ACTION:        

            Keeping these observations in view the course will be designed and shall be announced to all the universities of general journalism.