EEI, Hyderabad Organised Training programme on Techniques and Extension approaches for Urban farming in agriculture and allied sectors from 1 st -5 th August 2023
Urban farming is a centralized operation involving horticulture, animal husbandry, aquaculture, mushrooms, apiculture 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, green cascades etc Keeping in view of importance of Urban farming for Extension professionals and to disseminate latest information and experiences of practitioners of Urban farming, Extension Education Institute, Hyderabad organized 5 days On campus Training programme on Techniques and Extension approaches for Urban farming in agriculture and allied sectors from 1st -5th August 2023. 20 officers belonging to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka from Agriculture, Horticulture and Sericulture took part in the programme. Dr. R. Vasantha, Professor, EEI coordinated the programme. The training covered the contents viz., Sericulture, Practical approaches for successful terrace gardening, Urban gardening practices in terraces and balconies, Integrated farming of Agriculture and Aqua culture, good bee keeping practices for sustainable honey production, Global innovations in urban farming, Gender mainstreaming and budgeting, GOI programs and Extension Strategies for Promotion of Urban farming . The learnings were fostered among trainees by making them visit two terrace gardens of practitioners (Mrs Meharunnissa and Mrs Nafia Akhtar), units of Rabbit, Quail, Duck, Swine, Sheep, Goat and Backyard Poultry, Terrace and Ground gardens of Telangana Horticultural Training Institute, Nampally. Hands on training on mushroom production was given to trainees at Mushroom cultivation scheme, PJTSAU. 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. B.L. Madhavi, Assistant Director of Agriculture, Warangal said that basically she is interested in gardening, she will immediately motivate the peri urban and urban clientele in Warangal district to take up own cultivation for family. She felt Mushroom cultivation is very easy hence can be grown for house hold consumption, if market demand is present it can be done on commercial scale.
- Shri Darshan, Horticultural Officer, Mangalore expressed that this training is very useful as many farmers are approaching him for guidance.
- Shri Venkatakrishnareddy, Agricultural officer, Jammalamadugu, Andhra pradesh shared his learnings to his relatives at Beeramguda, Hyderabad by advising on making compost from kitchen waste and importance of leak proof and terrace garden design. Further he immediately shared learnings of the training to urban and periurban growers of his jurisdiction through media by giving TV telecasts and press notes.
