Jammu and Kashmir: GIMI Israel to train SKUAST-Kashmir faculty

In a statement the varsity said the International Faculty Development Programme has been organised under the World Bank-ICAR funded National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) for the institutional development of the SKUAST-K.

“All in all 122 faculty members of the SKUAST-K are participating in 184-hour comprehensive academic training. Among the participants, 15 female faculty members have been provided scholarships for the training by the GIMI Israel under its Women Empowerment Programme. The programme, specially designed as per the needs of the SKUAST-K faculty, comprises of 10 courses,” the statement reads.

The courses are: Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Integrated Water Resource Management for Sustainable Development, Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Times of Change, Irrigation Methodologies for Improved Yield Production, Development of Sustainable Aquaculture Industry, Advanced Technologies for Dairy Livestock Farms, Agribusiness Sustainable Farm Management for Smallholders, Environment Management Solutions, and Renewable Energy.

Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Mushtaq Ahmed, who was the chief guest at the inaugural function, appreciated the collaborations of SKUAST-K with many international institutions of excellence and higher learning through NAHEP.

He advised the faculty to be proactive in channelizing their faculties and energies in creating a desirable teaching-learning environment and employ modern concepts and research methodologies in developing the technologies for the farmers.

Director Education, SKUAST-K, Prof MH Balkhi emphasized the necessity of seeking new knowledge. He highlighted the importance of training in the present-day education system and asked the teachers to develop the habit of critical thinking.

“Dr Joseph Shevel, President GIMI, Israel, who was the keynote speaker and delivered his lecture online, presented an overview of the economy and civil amenities in India and Israel. He said that Israel has become a $400 billion economy with only 9 million population through discoveries, innovations and knowledge-driven business development. While emphasizing on the need for adoption of the latest technologies in water resource management, optimum input use, super crop varieties, digital and precision farming, greenhouse technologies etc which Israel has evolved in recent times, he said it is possible to double the income of farmers in India,” it said.

Director Planning & Monitoring SKUAST-K and PI NAHEP, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, gave a comprehensive account of the vision, mission and mandate of the IDP-NAHEP.

He highlighted the relevance of partnership and collaborations with the institutions of excellence and higher learning abroad for the capacity building for the faculty and students of the university.

He said discovery, innovations and leadership skills in the next generation human capital are key to driving knowledge intensive and technology-driven Agri economy.