SRINAGAR: A10 days Advanced Entrepreneurship & Skill Development Programme (A-ESDP) on “Processing, Preservation and Marketing of Milk as Functional Food” was today inaugurated at Faculty Outreach Centre, FVSc& AH, SKUAST-Kashmir Shuhama. The programme is being organized by Division of Livestock Products Technology, SKUAST-Kashmir and is sponsored by Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) Govt. of India under its E-SDP Scheme.
The program will be held from 20 – 29 Dec. 2022, wherein more than 25 participants from diverse background (aspiring scholars & entrepreneurs) shall be exposed to various dimensions of the theme area for promotion of entrepreneurship in dairy sector. The main objective of the training programme is to develop skills and inculcate entrepreneurial mind set among the participants.
Prof.Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Kashmir was the Chief Guest in inaugural session and was accompanied by Prof.Sarfaraz Ahmad Wani, Director Research, Prof.Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi, Director Extension, Dean FVSc& AH, Prof. M. T. Banday and Dr.Basharat A Kathu, Deputy Director Sheep Husbandry on the dais. In addition to participants, various heads of divisions and other faculty members were also present in an impressive inaugural function held at Faculty Outreach Centre at SKUAST-K campus of Shuhama.
In his inaugural address, Prof.Nazir Ahmad Ganai highlighted the need and importance of skill oriented training programmes to generate employability among the promising entrepreneurs for societal development. He further highlighted the role of University in coming times to fulfil the vision of sustainable Bio-economy for this region through implementation of various schemes and programs in collaborative mode among different organizations. Prof.Nazir expressed his best wishes to the organizers of the program and hoped the same will be quite fruitful for the budding entrepreneurs. Hon’ble Vice Chancellor encouraged theparticipants to be the part SKUAST-Kashmir’ssuccess story through their active involvement in its new working ecosystem wherein the talents are groomed and start-ups are promoted as an innovative tools of action.
Earlier, Dr.Sarfaraz A Wani formally welcomed the guests and participants of the training program and informed about the background of the training program. He also highlighted the significance of value addition in dairy sector for its further growth and development. Prof.Sarfaraz had a special mention of Director Planning, SKUAST-Kashmirfor being instrumental in getting the sanction of MSME sponsored Entrepreneurship based training programs for SKUAST-Kashmir. In his address, Prof.Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi threw light on various aspects of entrepreneurship development and university’s role in this regard. Prof.Makdoomi also quoted many successful entrepreneurial avenues and their impactful presence for the information & inspiration of participant so as to inculcate zeal & passion among them. He also spoke on innovations in dairy sector and their scope in development of economy with special emphasis on processing and preservation of dairy products.
Dr. Asif Hassan Sofi, Associate Professor, Division of LPT and course coordinator gave a brief account about the training program and its upcoming sessions. The inaugural function was hosted by Dr. Sheikh Rafeh, Assistant Prof.division of LPT who introduced the participants to the audience present. The function ended with the formal Vote of Thanks proposed by Dr. Abdul Hai, Incharge Faculty Outreach Centre ,FVSc& AH Shuhama.