BHUBANESWAR: Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology is planning to introduce new departments in animal biotechnology, forensic science and wildlife health management, fishery resource management, aquatic environment management and fish processing technology.
The lone publicly funded farm university of the state is also set to launch a one-year course and create new post-graduate departments at three colleges. While the PG departments have been proposed to be opened at the College of Agriculture, Bhawanipatna, College of Agriculture, Chiplima and College of Horticulture, Chiplima, the one-year certificate course supported by Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC) will benefit the rural talents.
Briefing media persons here on Wednesday, OUAT Vice Chancellor Prof PK Roul said the university is finalising the modalities to open new departments, and new courses and set up a NABL-accredited laboratory for testing of organic produce harvested from different agriculture colleges.
“Efforts are on to attract more international students through the creation of excellent laboratories, exceptional hostel facilities, strengthening international collaboration and redesigning course curricula by accommodating emerging areas of agricultural sciences,” he said.
Besides, Centres of Excellence (CoEs) on cutting-edge science are also under active consideration of the state government in the areas of genomics and bioinformatics, precision agriculture and regenerative agriculture.
“We are planning to set up of quick response team (multi-disciplinary team of scientists) for addressing emerging farm-related issues, three farm technology training centres for practising rural youths to improve their skill and knowledge and create training on wheel facility with the help of Krishi Vigyan Kendras to carry technological information to the farmers’ doorstep,” Prof Roul informed.
The university has released 21 varieties of various crops this year. The crops included six varieties of rice, three varieties of ginger, two varieties of turmeric and one variety each of finger millet, little millet, green gram, groundnut, mustard, sesame, brinjal, chilli, tomato and dolichos bean.