The College of Temperate Sericulture, Mirgund, SKUAST-Kashmir organized three-day national webinar on ‘Unravelling the skills of sericulture- A tool for self-employment and poverty alleviation’.
According to statement, the webinar was organised from 14th to 16th July under World Bank Funded National Agriculture Higher Education project. The webinar was attended by more than 100 participants, both faculty and students. Eminent speakers from across the country including Dr S.B. Dandin, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Horticultural Sciences, Karnataka, Dr. V. Shivaprasad, Director, CSR&TI, Berhampore, West Bengal and Dr. P.J. Raju, Director, APSSR&DI, Hindpur, Andhra Pradesh were invited to deliver on the theme.
The experts deliberated in depth about the employment and enterprise opportunities in sericulture and impressed upon all the participants that almost every operation involved in sericulture be it seed production, Chawkie rearing or mulberry sapling production could be taken as enterprise. The experts observed that UT of Jammu and Kashmir has enormous potential for production of quality bivoltine silk of International grade which can be assured through effective R&D support in different sectors through active involvement of government. Dr Dandin, an international expert in sericulture expressed his willingness to help the state and the university in revisiting the policy and the support required at the national level.
Prof M F Baqual, Associate Dean, College of Temperate Sericulture, Mirgund, SKUAST-Kashmir while welcoming the experts and the trainees, highlighted the importance of such online programmes for building the skills and the confidence of the students. Prof Baqal, while thanking HonbleVice-Chancellor SKUAST-K. Prof. Nazeer Ahmed and ICAR for providing support to such program under NAHEP committed that his faculty shall continue to organize such programs under NAHEP.
Earlier speaking at the inaugural function, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, complimented the organizers and the faculty at CoTs for bringing vibrancy through series of such high impact programs, with experts drawn from across the country.
Dr Ganai also congratulated Dr Firdose Ahmad Malik, and his team of coordinators for successful conduct of this webinar. He thanked the Vice Chancellor and ICAR for the support under NAHEP that is driving such programs in the university.