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Nauni varsity foundation day: HP guv bats for technology transfer in horticulture
Bandaru Dattatreya presided over the 36th foundation day function of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, online from Raj Bhawan.
Himachal Pradesh governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Tuesday emphasized promoting technology transfer in horticulture and urged scientists to transform their research work keeping in view the climatic conditions of the state.
He was presiding over the 36th foundation day function of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, online from Raj Bhawan.
Congratulating the varsity community on the occasion, the governor said that as the first horticulture and forestry university in Asia, the institute has played a leading role in education, research and extension education for more than three decades.
As a result, new techniques have reached the fields of millions of farmers, said Dattatreya expressing delight over the Union education ministry adjudging the horticulture varsity among the top government universities in the country in the ‘Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements’ released earlier this year.
This university has ranked 12th in the nationwide rankings of agricultural universities.
The governor stressed the development of new varieties and agricultural techniques. He also urged to use scientific input in natural farming.
Dattatreya said that the university scientists have received 22 projects worth ₹7.85 crore in the last one year to promote research activities through various financial institutions.
The university has also been approved by the World Bank-funded National Agricultural Higher Project of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research worth ₹25 crore.
He called upon all the university teachers to spread awareness about the new national education policy.
He also exhorted the teachers and young scientists to prepare a roadmap for agriculture and horticulture development so that Himachal becomes a model state in the field of horticulture and forestry in the country.
Take research to fields for desired results: CM
In his address on the occasion, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said that scientists must take the research to the fields to achieve the desired results.
“Production could increase only when we motivate the farmers and horticulturists to adopt the latest varieties of seeds and technologies,” he said.
Thakur said that the state government was committed to ensure quality education to all sections of society and was working vigorously in this direction. He said that over the years, horticulture has emerged as a potential avocation in accelerating the growth of the rural economy.
“Role of horticulture in nutritional security, poverty alleviation and employment generation programmes have increased manifold,” he said.
He said horticultural crops account for about 33% of agricultural production and due to this the horticulture sector has witnessed a growth of 2.6% in the last decade and productivity has gone up by 4.8%.
He said that Himachal Pradesh ranked 5th in the world in apple production and the gross value of fruits produced in the state during the year 2019-20 was estimated to be around ₹4,000 crore.
The chief minister also batted for the new farm laws describing them as a step in strengthening the economy of farmers.
Horticulture minister Mahender Singh Thakur said that Himachal was set to become the ‘fruit bowl’ of the country, thanks to the effective research to promote horticulture in the sub-tropical areas of the state.
University registrar Prashant Sirkek presented the vote of thanks.
