Kalpeta : A meeting of the extension council of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) on decided to launch a series of programmes to attain self-sufficiency in livestock products in the State.
Vice Chancellor X. Anil said after the meeting that the varsity would execute dairy entrepreneurship programs in a mission mode in Palakkad, Wayanad, and Idukki districts. Facilities available at the university, training centres of the Kerala Livestock Development Board, and the Dairy Development and Animal Husbandry departments would be integrated to facilitate entrepreneurship and skill development training programmes.
KVASU would associate with the National Skill Development Corporation for implementing programs in the agriculture and livestock sectors, Mr. Anil added.
The university would launch Milkobike, a skill development programme to address scarcity of milkers, with the support of the National Dairy Development Board and Kerala Garmin Bank, T.P. Sethumadhavan, Director of Entrepreneurship of KVASU, said.
Availability of farmer-based publications would be augmented and the e-Vetconnect project of the university would be extended across the State in a phased manner. All farms and hospitals of the Kerala Livestock Development Board would be linked through the e-Vetconnect project.
Precision farming, promotion of safe-to-eat products, start-up village, and popularization of area-specific mineral mixture and productivity enhancement programmes would be the thrust areas of KVASU in 2017, Dr. Sethumadhavan said.
The meet also decided to organize a seminar, training programme, and an exhibition in February in connection with a national symposium on ‘conservation of local cattle and biodynamic agriculture’ on KVASU’s Mannuthy campus.
The meeting also decided to launch a poultry business school to promote poultry entrepreneurship and management at the post-graduate level in 2017.
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