The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University-Horticulture College and Research Institute for Women at Navalur Kuttapattu has introduced an innovative programme for growing vegetables with the help of its students.
Under the ‘earn while you learn’ programme, students would be encouraged to cultivate greens and vegetables and supply it to the hostel. Tomato, lady’s finger, greens and other vegetables would be cultivated on three cents of land within the college campus by students.
Apart from ensuring revenue, the programme would help women students understand cultivation and crop protection techniques, marketing avenues, and ensure quality through good agricultural practices, said P.Pandiarajan, Dean, TNAU Agricultural College and Research Institute.
The programme would instil confidence in the minds of the students about the prospects of agriculture, he said. Only organic manures would be used in raising these crops, he said.
Since the soil in the college is sodic in nature, the college authorities had enhanced the fertility of the soil by enriching it with vermicompost and red soil. They have also supplied quality seeds to the students for better productivity. “The area of the student farm would be expanded in course of time,” Mr. Pandiarajan said.
