Achievements

Nineteen Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) are functioning under AAU to achieve the set mandate of Training, Frontline Demonstration (FLD) and On Farm Trials (OFT). During 2005-2009, altogether 3459 numbers of training programmes within and outside the campus were conducted where more than 57,500 farmers and farm women participated. Through 612 numbers of sponsored programmes by various development agencies a total of 57,254 trainees were benefited. Technology dissemination was carried out through 242 FLDs.

Farm Women Training Centre (FWTC) conducted 88 number of training courses to upgrade the skill of rural women in agriculture and allied activities with a focus on specialized areas like animal husbandry, kitchen gardening, mushroom production technology and organic farming. Selected groups of women entrepreneurs have started their own venture besides forming self-help groups after successful completion of these trainings.

The Govt. of India has recognized the Directorate of Extension Education as one of the nodal centres in the country for Agri-clinic and Agri-business training programmes for unemployed graduates. Altogether three training programme have been conducted and seven trained graduates have established agro-enterprises for self-employment.

The extension specialists of the University have contributed in preparation of the base documents (District Agricultural Development Strategy - DADS) for Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) with a view to uplift farmers' productivity and income. This has been done through a tested model developed by MANAGE, Hyderabad.

A farmer friendly website named "BRIDDHI" (http://briddhi.aau.ac.in) has been launched where the technologies so far developed at AAU in the field of agriculture, animal science, home science, fishery and sericulture have been digitized in Assamese language with funding from the World Bank under Assam Agriculture Competitive Project (AACP).

The AAU has been a major partner with the State Govt. in developing the web portal "ASHA" for the benefit of the farmers. Till date, more than 500 farmers' queries from different parts of Assam have been replied in the field of agriculture and fisheries.

The Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC) was established to provide information on technologies developed by AAU to farmers through a single window delivery system. A total of over 5120 farmers have visited the Centre during the period 2007-08. The Centre also sells quality seeds of different HYVs, vegetable seeds, panting materials, bio-fertilizers, vermicompost and products like tea, black pepper, honey, etc.

A total of 14 nos. of Institutional Farmers' Trainings at AAU have been conducted under AACP. These trainings have benefited 300 nos. of farmers from 11 districts of Assam.

About 600 radio talks, discussions and dialogues on technologies related to agriculture and allied fields were broadcasted during the period 2005-08 for the benefit of farmers and other stakeholders.

A collaborative phone-in-programme of AAU and All India Radio, Dibrugarh have been in operation since 2005 which so far answered more than 1000 queries from farmers of different districts of Assam.

About 40 TV programmes on agricultural and allied subjects have been telecasted through Doordarshan since 2005.

The Directorate of Extension Education has participated in 9 state level and National level Exhibition during 2005-09 and exhibited the technologies developed by the University.

The Extension Education Institute of the University has conducted 256 nos. of trainings since its inception in 1989 till December, 2008 covering 5013 number of beneficiaries.

A Felicitation Centre on Medicinal Plants (sponsored by National Medicinal Plant Board) has been established at the Directorate of Extension Education in 2008. Four trainings have been conducted under this project covering about 100 farmers of various districts of Assam.

Small Tea Growers' Advisory Programme (STAP) of Tea Advisory Cell funded by Tea Board and established in 1988 has gained immense popularity amongst the small tea growers of Assam and other NE states. The programme caters to the technical need of the small tea growers through counseling and training programmes. During 2006-07, 7 trainings have been conducted where 177 small tea growers participated. A total of 12,500 small tea growers have so far registered with STAP for technical guidance.

The Directorate of Extension Education looks after the Kisan Call Centre (KCC) for NE region. During 2004-08, altogether 7670 questions and answers on agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries were facilitated through this KCC.

The University has proposed to organize a few certificate courses in Agriculture, Home Science, Veterinary Science and Fisheries with an objective to motivate and educate unemployed rural youths to develop their own entrepreneurial ventures. These courses are aimed at developing their skills in the areas of nursery management, plant tissue culture, tea production, apiculture, bio-fertilizers, apparel designing, bakery, day-care centre, goat farming, dairy farming, pig farming and fish seed production.

The Faculty of Fisheries has been providing training to the rural youths from 20 selected districts of Assam with financial support of State Govt. to develop village level workers in fisheries called them as Matsya Mitra. The faculty has already trained three batches of 88 Matsya Mitras from Kamrup, Sivasagar and Sonitpur districts. These Matsya Mitras once produced are expected to act as para-professionals in the fishery sector of the state.