TNAU rolls out ‘one-student, one farm family connect’ initiative for hands-on education

TNAU's "One Student, One Farm Family Connect" initiative provides students with hands-on field-level exposure & connects farmers with the university.

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has rolled out ‘one student, one farm family connect’ initiative through its Directorate of Extension Education, with the intent of providing students hands-on field-level exposure all through their course duration.

About 2,300 plus students across 18 campuses of constituent colleges are to be provided with the support system by the numerous Krishi Vigyan Kendras for linkage with farmers.

“A student of first year will have an opportunity to observe eight crop cycles - two per year - through periodic visits. The students will be required to keep in touch with the adopted farmer family every week, and serve as a link between the cultivators and the varsity,” TNAU Vice-Chancellor V. Geethalakshmi said.

There is a system in place for monitoring the progress of students’ exposure by the respective heads of departments.

Students will be entrusted with the task of learning the field-level problems and the decision-making by the farmers at times of normal rainfall, drought, and excess rainfall, and the farming practices they adopt to tackle such situations.

As for farmers, they could take the students’ help to have a direct connect with the university. Any issue pertaining to pests and diseases will have to be documented by the students through photographs for finding effective solution through taking on board the scientists concerned in the university, Prof. Geethalakshmi explained.

The TNAU, the VC said, was looking forward to taking new crop varieties and technologies to the farmers through the platform.