Learning Beyond Classrooms: Students Get Hands-on Exposure to Modern Agriculture

The Directorate of Extension Education, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, in collaboration with the Directorate of Higher Education, Himachal Pradesh, organised a three-day training and exposure visit for school students under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. The programme aimed to provide practical exposure to horticulture, orchard management, floriculture, nursery management and modern agricultural technologies while enhancing students’ knowledge and skills.

A total of 142 students, along with their teachers and teacher-in-charges from 10 schools of Sirmaur district, participated in the programme, which commenced on September 7. During the training, students received practical knowledge and hands-on exposure to hi-tech floriculture, modern irrigation systems, natural farming, Jeevamrit and Ghanjeevamrit, beekeeping, mushroom production, food processing and value addition, protected cultivation, commercial flower production, modern nursery techniques, fruit crop propagation and plant tissue culture. They also visited various agriculture and horticulture-based units of the university to observe these technologies and practices firsthand.

The programme helped students understand that modern agriculture extends beyond production and offers significant opportunities in technological innovation, value addition, processing, entrepreneurship and employment. The programme is sponsored by the Directorate of Higher Education, Himachal Pradesh, and seeks to bridge the gap between classroom education and practical, skill-based learning while preparing students for future employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in the agricultural sector.

Programme Coordinators Dr Meenu Gupta and Dr Manica Tomar, along with Training Coordinator Dr Preeti Sharma, coordinated with the participating schools and students to ensure effective participation, timely conduct of activities, exposure visits and smooth implementation of the training sessions. The teachers also actively participated in the programme and encouraged students to apply and share the knowledge gained at the school level.

Director of Extension Education Dr DP Sharma said that classroom and textbook-based learning alone is not sufficient in the present times. He emphasised the need to provide students with practical experience and skills from an early stage, particularly in agriculture and horticulture, which offer immense opportunities. He added that such training and exposure programmes familiarise students with modern agricultural technologies while developing a mindset of entrepreneurship, innovation and self-employment. Dr Sharma said that the initiative is a significant step towards preparing students for a smooth transition from school education to the workplace.