90 agriculture students are gaining Rural Agricultural Work Experience via compulsory village stay programme

For B.K. Manjushree of Chikkabantanahalli, Jagalur taluk in Davangere, media reports on farmers’ suicides are unbearable to read. Pursuing a Bachelors degree in agriculture for three years now, she believes mechanised and modern agricultural practises would help in the agrarian crisis.

This is what she has been telling farmers at T.M. Hosuru. “Farming with unscientific methods could increase input costs and push farmers into debt traps,” Ms. Manjushree told The Hindu. She is among 90 seventh semester students of the College of Agriculture at VC Farm, Zonal Agricultural Research Station, on the outskirts of Mandya, gaining Rural Agricultural Work Experiences (RAWE) through the 90-day compulsory village stay programme across the district, since July 19.

The RAWE was designed for students to gain rural life experience besides encouraging farmers to adopt modern agricultural practices. The students are divided into five teams and have been sent to T.M. Hosuru, Jakkanahalli, Alagudu, Urumarukasalagere and Santhekesalagere. They have collected socio-economic data, identified crop patterns and also tried to develop a grasp on prevailing issues pertaining to farming activities, besides chalking out plans to motivate farmers towards modern agricultural practices.

Educating farmers on integrated disease and pest management, trash management in sugarcane, vermin-compost, intercropping and paired row planting in sugarcane, bio-fertilisers, organic farming, safe use of pesticides, integrated farming system, sanitisation, soil fertility status, nutrient management to increase yield in coconut and other crops, and Azolla feeding for cattle to increase milk production, are some of the programmes.

“We share our knowledge learnt at classrooms or at fields at the V.C. Farm with farmers we meet,” S. Rakesh, in Alagudu, said.

According to Sheethal, A.S. Dishoja and G.S. Sujatha, every event during the village stay programmes have proven memorable as they are from urban areas.

“The RAWE is educating us on many issues and practical difficulties farmers face such as conventional agricultural practices, diagnosing plant diseases locally, rural financial management systems, sensible use of water, fertiliser and pesticides, making broomsticks and baskets with recycled products of agriculture, management of crop during sudden climate change etc,” D.P. Meghana and Anjalikumari said.

Sensitising farmers on the seed treatment, alternative crop methods, weeds management, eliminating rodents, importance of soil testing and seeds selection are some of the main components of the RAWE to lessen input cost and improve productivity, said S.G. Vipul and S.M. Indudhar. Students avail food and shelter by paying farmers a nominal amount.