Srinagar: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir kick-started three one-week advanced skill training programs on advanced horticulture management of orchards at the Faculty of Agriculture, Wadura campus.
The skill trainings are organised by SKUAST-K’s Division of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture under the sponsorship of Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Govt of India, with an aim to encourage and provide basic understanding and knowledge for entrepreneurship in horticulture viz. ornamental nursery production under protected conditions, fruit nursery business and tree architecture under high-density planting.
Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Prof Raihana Habib Kanth, who was the chief guest at the inaugural function, said such trainings would expose the youth, students and farmers to the broader areas and subjects of horticulture using hands-on experience and grow their career prospects as entrepreneurs. Head, Division of Horticulture, Prof Khalid Rasool, highlighted the importance of skill-based entrepreneurial training programmes and impressed upon the youth that being skilful is the need of the hour particularly in the present scenario in public as well as private sector jobs.
The training programme titled ‘Establishment and Management of Commercial Fruit Nursery’ in which the coordinator of the programme Dr Angrej Ali highlighted the significance of fruit nursery for quality planting material production. Dr Nazir Ahmad Ganai, the Co-ordinator of another training programme “Tree Architecture for Quality Produce under HDP” impressed upon the participants that the skill course on tree architecture under scientific lines will help in canopy management & entrepreneurship development in high-density planation. Dr Arif Hussain Wani, the coordinator of the training programme entitled “Ornamental Nursery Production under Medium Tech Poly Houses” highlighted the merits of ornamental nursery production on scientific lines and emphasised that its percolation will enable our entrepreneurs to compete at the international market.

KR Desk