'Agri Darshan' to familiarise students with farm practices

 Department of Public Instruction has initiated a novel programme “Chinnara Krishi Vrutthi Darshana” (agri darashan) to create awareness about agriculture and agricultural practices among government high school students in the state under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

 Under the project, batches of students selected will go on field trips and get a first hand experience of the basic farm practices.  Students will be familiarised with basic skills in horticulture, sericulture, irrigation, bio-fuel, poultry and other agricultural practices.

The department hopes that the visits will help students in developing an interest in agriculture.

A sum of Rs 3.75 crore has been allocated for the project it. As many as 6,754 children, 75 per cent of them will be girls, divided into 270 teams of 25 children will be selected from each district, an official from the department said.

Agri Darshan, was originally suppose to start in August and end by December. However, the programme took off in October and is expected to last till the end December. The programme has already been completed in five districts, Bagalkot, Hassan, Shimoga, Tumkur, Udupi and Uttara Kannada.   
 
A sizeable part of the allocated funds, Rs 3.04 crore, has been earmarked for girls as this programme directly falls under the wider purview of promoting girls’ education besides, creating awareness about agriculture.

It is also a measure to counter gender inequality in schools and the high rate of girls dropping out schools.

The programmes will be district-specific,  based on the variations in agricultural practices and production in each district. For instance, while sugarcane is grown largely in north Karnataka, Hassan and Mandya are known for dairy, sericulture and paddy.

The programme will take into account these differences and, accordingly impart the specific kind of awareness required in each district, said the official.