Srinagar: Two week long skill entrepreneurship certificate course on “Canopy Management of temperate fruit crops” to impart expertise and skills on scientific pruning concluded at SK University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Shalimar.
The training course was organised for the unemployed educated youths of valley and conducted by Division of Fruit Science, Faculty of Horticulture from December 31 to January 14 to impart advanced Horticultural techniques on corrective training and pruning methodology under low, medium and high density orcharding systems on viable and commercially adopted training systems for different temperate fruit crops.
Head Division of Fruit Science, Prof. S.A Simnani presented overview of the training course describing the objectives, goals and demonstration of canopy management and a profile of the participating trainees who had come from far flung areas of Ramban,Banihal,Kupwara, Bandipora, Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam district of the valley.
The participating trainees hailed the efforts of SKUAST-K for conducting programme.
The valedictory programme was organised to award the participating trainees with course certificates and was chaired by Prof. Nazir A. Ganai, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-K.
It was attended by Prof. Sarfaraz A. Wani, Director Research, Prof. Makhdoomi, Director Extension, Prof. Siddiqui, DSW, Prof. S.A Wani, Dean FoH, Heads of Divisions, Head KVK, Malangpora, Faculty members of Fruit Science, FoAWadura and AARC Pahnoo.
The Vice-Chancellor in his valedictory remarks highlighted the need and importance of these skill certificate course in generating self-employment and job opportunities viz-a -viz skill oriented NEP-2020. Prof. Ganai described the canopy management as one of the most critical components for enhancing sustainable and optimal production of healthy and quality fruit of global standards to compete the international apple market.
He further emphasised that SKUAST-K is committed in its endeavors of human resource capacity and skill entrepreneurship development of horticulture and allied sectors to make the sectora economically viable and sustainable economy.