A 4 days online collaborative training program of ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar and National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad on “Skills for Entrepreneurship Development in Buffalo Husbandry” was organized from August 24- 27, 2021.
The purpose of the training program was to develop awareness and educate the faculty and students of Veterinary Universities, Veterinarians and field functionaries, Animal husbandry stakeholders and KVK personnel with the modern technologies of buffalo husbandry for entrepreneurship development. The training was inaugurated by Dr. BS Punia, Former Director, ICAR-CIRB in presence of Dr. TK Datta, Director, ICAR-CIRB and Dr. Shahaji Phand, Centre Head, Centre for Extension in Agri-allied Sector, MANAGE.
During the 4 days training course, a total of 16 sessions were conducted, each day four sessions for four days on various aspects of buffalo husbandry viz. calf management, feeding management of lactating and transitional buffalo, semen freezing and artificial insemination, reproductive inefficiencies and amelioration, feed block and silage production, rearing of buffalo broilers, technologies for value addition of buffalo milk and meat, regulation on marketing of milk and milk products were deliberated by the subject matter experts across the country as well as overseas expert. The economics of buffalo production and newer dissemination technologies of buffalo husbandry were also described to attract rural youth for entrepreneurship development. At the end of the training program, the feedback regarding the subjects covered were taken from all the participants in a structured online format to know their views and future improvement. An online test was taken through Google form at the end of the training to assess the knowledge gain by this training program.
The participants expressed overwhelmed response towards the training and emphasized for more such kind of trainings in near future. The deliberations of the training program were compiled and released in the form of e-Book for the benefit of the trainees. A total of 96 participants from 20 different states of the country were registered in this training program and certificates were issued to 31 participants who attended the online training programme regularly.
The Course directors of this training program were Dr. TK Datta, Director, ICAR-CIRB and Dr. Shahaji Phand, Centre Head, Centre for Extension in Agri-allied Sector, MANAGE and the training course was Co-ordinated by Dr. Avijit Dey (Principal Scientist, ICAR-CIRB), Dr. A Jerome (Scientist, ICAR-CIRB) and Dr. Meeti Punetha (Scientist, ICAR-CIRB).