Solan: Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, partnered with MANAGE, Hyderabad, to host a three-day online training program focused on ‘Climate Smart Technologies for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Agriculture.’
The inaugural session of the training had the honor of having Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, the University Vice-Chancellor, as the Chief Guest. The training was expertly coordinated by Professor SK Bhardwaj, Head of the Department of Environmental Science, with Dr. Pratima Vaidya serving as the co-coordinator.
The training attracted participants from various domains, including 50 extension officers, subject matter specialists from the State Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, scientists from different Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and Professors and Research Scholars from universities across the country. Throughout the program, the attendees delved into topics such as recent climate changes, their impact on crops, insect pest dynamics, and pollinator behavior. Additionally, the participants were familiarized with the concept of eco-literacy, carbon farming, weather-based agro-advisories, and climate change mitigation and adaptation using climate-smart technologies.
Prof. Chandel emphasized the importance of studying and adopting climate-smart technologies in agriculture. He urged scientists and agriculture professionals to collaborate with farmers, understand their specific needs, and select technologies that align with the environment. Such collaborative efforts, he noted, are vital for the capacity building of extension officials to better serve the farmers.
Dr. Bhardwaj highlighted the potential of the training to enhance participants’ knowledge and help them identify effective practices to combat climate change impacts in the region. Expressing keen interest, Prof. Bhardwaj also proposed organizing similar training programs in offline mode in association with MANAGE, Hyderabad, to enable hands-on experiences for field officials.
