Cuttack:
With an aim to encourage more students to opt for agriculture as their main subject of study and make a career in farm science, National Rice Research Institute (NRRI) here observed Agriculture Education Day in its campus.
More than 200 students from different schools of the city participated in the day-long activities which included quiz contest and a grand exhibition on the theme Energy Efficient Rural Agricultural Production System, where the participants exhibited several innovative models.
The debate competition held on the occasion on the topic Transforming Farming into Commercial Ventures Possibilities and Barriers, evoked a lot of enthusiasm where participants very passionately talked about the recent drought in the State and its consequence leading to spurt in farmers suicides.
Joining as guests of honour in the inaugural session Vice Chancellor and Director of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) Trilochan Mohapatra and senior IPS officer Asit Panigrahi in their addresses explained about different lucrative career options open for a farm science student.
Calling upon the young brains to choose farm science as their main subject of study, Mohapatra said agriculture not only provides social and political stability to a nation, it maintains the sovereignty of the nation as well. Lack of proper food and nutrition would usher in instability in a country jeopardising its sovereignty, Mohapatra said.
Emphasising that agriculture is very much scientific, the senior farm scientist said agricultural education was never so relevant as it is today, particularly in the backdrop of peculiar climate change being witnessed.
