Srinagar: Galilee International Management Institute (GIMI), Israel is conducting a series of programmes for the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir faculty, with an aim to enhance capacities of SKUAST-K in various modern agriculture technologies, and business management skills, a university spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.
The International Faculty Development Programme has been organised under the World Bank-ICAR funded National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) for the institutional development of the SKUAST-K.
All in all 122 faculty members of the SKUAST-K are participating in 184-hour comprehensive academic training. Among the participants, 15 female faculty members have been provided scholarships for the training by the GIMI Israel under its Women Empowerment Programme. The programme, specially designed as per the needs of the SKUAST-K faculty, comprises of 10 courses.
The courses are: Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Integrated Water Resource Management for Sustainable Development, Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Times of Change, Irrigation Methodologies for Improved Yield Production, Development of Sustainable Aquaculture Industry, Advanced Technologies for Dairy Livestock Farms, Agribusiness Sustainable Farm Management for Smallholders, Environment Management Solutions, and Renewable Energy.
Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Mushtaq Ahmed, who was the chief guest at the inaugural function, appreciated the collaborations of SKUAST-K with many international institutions of excellence and higher learning through NAHEP. He advised the faculty to be proactive in channelizing their faculties and energies in creating a desirable teaching-learning environment and employ modern concepts and research methodologies in developing the technologies for the farmers.
Director Education, SKUAST-K, Prof MH Balkhi emphasised the necessity of seeking new knowledge. He highlighted the importance of training in the present-day education system and asked the teachers to develop the habit of critical thinking.
Dr Joseph Shevel, President GIMI, Israel, who was the keynote speaker and delivered his lecture online, presented an overview of the economy and civil amenities in India and Israel. He said that Israel has become a $400 billion economy with only 9 million population through discoveries, innovations and knowledge-driven business development. While emphasising on the need for adoption of the latest technologies in water resource management, optimum input use, super crop varieties, digital and precision farming, greenhouse technologies etc which Israel has evolved in recent times, he said it is possible to double the income of farmers in India.
He emphasised the need for strengthening the cooperation between GIMI, SKUAST and farmers of J&K UT for taking the benefits of advanced technologies to farmers.
He also informed about the partnerships and collaborations of GIMI with various states of the country and the Government of India in agriculture and allied areas.
Director Planning & Monitoring SKUAST-K and PI NAHEP, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, gave a comprehensive account of the vision, mission and mandate of the IDP-NAHEP. He highlighted the relevance of partnership and collaborations with the institutions of excellence and higher learning abroad for the capacity building for the faculty and students of the university. He said discovery, innovations and leadership skills in the next generation of human capital are key to driving a knowledge-intensive and technology-driven Agri economy.
HRM Consultant for IDP-NAHEP, Prof Farooq Ahmad Zaki presented the overview of developments and advances made in the agriculture scenario of Israel. He talked about greenhouse technologies, water conservation and irrigation technologies, genetically engineered crop varieties, greening o deserts, manmade forests etc.
Dr Parvaize Sofi, Associate Professor, FOA, Wadura welcomed the guests and Dr Ikhlaq Wani, Associate Professor, Forestry presented the vote of thanks.
Deputy Director-General, GIMI, Guy Wolf; Dean Students Welfare MAA Sidique; Associate Dean College of Temperature Sericulture, Dr MF Baqual, besides various faculty members and training participants, attended the inaugural function.
‘Agrucation’, the bi-monthly newsletter of SKUAST-K under NAHEP-IDP, was also released at the occasion.
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