AN URGENT NEED TO CHANGE THE AGRICULTURE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY IF WE WANT FARMERS TO DOUBLE THEIR INCOME

The quality of agricultural education is the most important factor for agricultural research because all scientific manpower for agricultural research is supplied by the agricultural education organization. With hardly any flow of scientific manpower in progressive countries to India particularly towards agricultural research, the supply of high-quality manpower for agricultural research continues to remain the predominant task of the agricultural education system. Hence, any dramatic goal of doubling farmer’s income cannot afford to miss the contribution from the research institute and agricultural education system. In India like any other education stream, Agricultural education is, facing thoughtful restraints of right faculty, insufficient financial resources, and several others issues. Therefore, to double farmer’s income the agricultural education system needs to be methodically revamped in the country.

Agriculture Education System in India needs to go for a complete change to ensure that our research programmes converge with the development agenda of the Government.

The Indian agricultural education system must aim to produce not just alumnae, but specialists of science. These specialists should not only help farmers in agronomy and production problems but also have the knowledge and understanding of practical issues, historical problems, and social economic matters of rural India. The curriculum, coaching and assessment methods need to be aligned with the demands of the present and future agricultural challenges. Syllabus alteration, changes in educational approaches, and examination system needs to be episodic and should occur every year based on need.

In addition, Postgraduate research should be linked towards addressing local challenges and linked to government development goals rather than mere paper presentations and journals publications.

In India, Postgraduate research in agriculture should be distribution driven & outcome based. A Huge amount of time, money and public resources are used in doing post-graduate research. It is really discouraging to see that these postgraduate research are ending up only in journal papers and not moving beyond laboratories. The only way forward is that the research topics for post-graduate and doctoral studies should be linked to the overall mandate of the government’s development goals for farmers.

To strengthen the system an apex body needs to be framed whose only role should be towards allocation of projects/topics for graduate research and monitor the progress of the same with clear measurement on outcomes with impact on farmers, sustainability and environment.

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