Re-orientation of the Education

Almost a quarter of our country’s population is aged under 15 years of age. Hence, with agricultural education playing a critical role in boosting the economy and speeding up the development process, the reorientation of agricultural higher education in the context of globalisation, food security, diversification, sustainability of ecosystems, and agribusiness is necessary. A more broad-based curriculum coupled with scientific training around new-age technologies such as biotechnology, genetic engineering, etc., can help students understand the effort, money, and resources that go into food production and make agriculture/farming a career choice.

With agriculture going out of vogue with the younger generation, getting them involved and grooming them as agricultural entrepreneurs is also crucial to the economic and social development of the country. Emphasis should be placed on practical skills and entrepreneurial capabilities among students to achieve excellence. There are already initiatives in action that aim to do just that. One such example is the Future Agricultural Leaders of India programme. In action for almost a decade and has empowered over 13,000 students, FALI has established itself as a unique, high-impact programme that makes agriculture attractive for the next generation by providing interactive learning, field visits, business plan contests, and exposure to cutting-edge agriculture and agribusiness.

In conclusion, the Indian agriculture sector has significant hurdles to overcome. But they aren’t insurmountable. A comprehensive collaborative approach, involving all stakeholders from farmers and policymakers to researchers and the private sector is the key to unlocking its full potential. This will drive India’s economic success.

(The author is the Executive Director of Godrej Agrovet Limited)

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