IGNOU to bring farmers to classroom

Kolkata : Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) on Wednesday launched new certificate programmes for the benefit of farmers in the state of West Bengal.

The programmes were launched by the West Bengal Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Minister Narendra Nath Dey in the EMPC studio at IGNOU.

The two programmes launched are Integrated Pest Management Technolology in Potato cultivation and Short Term Training programmes for farmers of Betelvine.

The two programmes are of 3 months duration and have been developed by the Regional Centre , Kolkata and the School of Agriculture , IGNOU.

The objectives of the programme on IPM in Potato cultivation are to create awareness about the difference between exclusive chemical ?based technology and IPM technology for potato crop, to equip the rural youth about the knowledge and benefits of IPM technology in potato and to develop entrepreneurship in various components of IPM like bio-pesticide, pheromone traps and biological pesticides , followed by creation of technical consultants among the enlightened farmers .

Speaking on the launch, Dey remarked, ?Potato is a cash crop which is prone to diseases . As a result of this farmers suffer enormous losses almost in every alternate year.Integrated pest control for preventing diseases is highly technical. This certificate programme on IPM in potato cultivation will give us a considerable number of experts who can then help control the diseases effectively, thereby helping farmers . We want several educated persons to be trained in pest control management through this programme.?

About 8000 Farmers are being sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Govt of West Bengal, for these programmes. These are training intensive programmes in which farmers will be taught practically about how to control pests through demonstrations and relevant theory classes.