New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is all set to equip farmers in remote and far-flung areas with the latest information on farming and agriculture, a senior university official said.
On Monday i.e. on August 23, 2010, B.S. Hansra, Senior Professor of IGNOU School of Agriculture (SOA) has told reporters that IGNOU is trying to reach people in remote areas with the latest global information in agricultural research and development. He also added that for the benefit of the local farmers, including tribals, development of agricultural education and knowledge management are the important components of IGNOU. Mr Hansra also informed newspersons ahead of an international conference on 'Agriculture Education and knowledge management.'
As per sources, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar will inaugurate the three-day conference on Tuesday (on August 24, 2010), where over 100 agricultural scientists, experts, delegates from India and abroad are to participate. The conference is being organized in collaboration with the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). The conference is expected to go a long way in evolving integrated strategies to achieve food security and sustainable agriculture development in India, especially in the northeast region.
The conference is organized with an aim to discuss various advances and models of agricultural education for strengthening capacity of professionals, researchers and educators, to discuss the role of effective knowledge management systems for socio-economic development of agricultural sector, to identify suitable pedagogic approaches and curriculum to educate farmers, upgrade their technical and entrepreneurial knowledge and analytical skills and to develop knowledge management strategies through cost-effective and efficient approaches, public-private-NGO partnerships, business models and delivery mechanisms.
