EEI, Hyderabad Organized Training programme on Urban and Peri Urban farming for Extension professionals from 5th- 9th September 2022.

Urban and Peri Urban farming according to FAO is defined as small areas within cities for growing crops and raising small livestock or milk cows for own consumption or sale in neighbourhood markets and can provide a source of food and income for urban dwellers. It is a centralized operation involving horticulture, animal husbandry, aquaculture, and other practices for producing fresh food or other agricultural products. There are many different approaches to urban agriculture, including ground-level farming, rooftop farming, hydroponics, greenhouses and other new technologies. Urban agriculture has the potential to produce food for local consumption, especially perishables and high-value horticultural crops. Also, there is increasing interest in commercial-scale cultivation of nonfood crops in urban areas, such as flowers, green walls, and the like. Urban and Periurban Agriculture (UPA) provides food products from different types of crops (root crops, grains, mushrooms, vegetables, and fruits), animals (rabbits, goats, poultry, cattle, pigs, guinea pigs, sheep, fish, etc.) as well as non food products (e.g., medicinal herbs, tree products, aromatic, and ornamental plants). It includes trees managed for producing fuel wood and fruits, as well as tree systems integrated and managed with crops (agroforestry) and aquaculture. It can make an important contribution to household food security, especially in times of crisis or shortages of food or natural calamities. Keeping in view of importance of Urban and Peri urban farming for Extension professionals and to disseminate latest information and experiences of practitioners of Urban and Peri urban farming, Extension Education Institute, Hyderabad organized 5 days On campus Training programme on Urban and Peri Urban farming for Extension professionals from 5 – 9th September 2022 with the objectives of imparting knowledge on various types of Urban and Periurban farming components, making participants understand thoroughly about Urban and Periurban farming practices through practical visits and inculcate skills in Mushroom cultivation. 19 officers belonging to Andhrapradesh, Tamilnadu and Karnataka from Agriculture, Animal husbandary and Veterinary, Agricultural Engineering, Sugar and Cane, Fisheries sectors, Sericulture, Scientists from KVK, Andhrapradesh took part in the programme. Dr. R. Vasantha, Professor, EEI coordinated the programme. Contents of the training: Overview on Urban and Periurban farming for Extension Personnel, Beekeeping, Profitable homestead technologies: Poultry, Rabbit, Swine, Sheep, Goat and Dairy. Sericulture, Terrace, Balcony and Kitchen gardening, Integration of Urban gardens with mushrooms: hands on training on mushroom production, Back yard Aquaculture: RAS, Biofloc and Aquaponics, Extension strategies for promotion of Urban and Periurban farming and practical visits to Terrace garden units with practitioners and Department of Horticulture, Telangana, Visit to RAS fisheries production unit. Speaking on the valedictory Dr. M. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Director, EEI said that Urban farming is more than just a way to bond with neighbors and preserve green spaces. It increases access to healthy, affordable, fresh produce and provides communities with opportunities to learn about nutrition and growing food. He requested trainees to apply the learnings of this training back home by motivating urban and periurban dwellers to start producing their own food to the extent possible.

Feedback from trainees

• Smt. G. Vidyavathi, Agriculture officer from Andharpradesh said that she would like to start Terrace garden and start mulberry cultivation in 1 acre back home.
• Dr G. Shashikala, Scientist, KVK, Reddipalli informed the house that she will start a terrace garden in her office.
• Bhadraiah, R.E. Sericulture officer, Tumkur, Karnataka expressed that this is the first training in his life that has given multifaceted learnings which is quite new for all of them through class room interactive sessions, hands on training and field visits. He appreciated Director, EEI for organising this excellent training.