Chandigarh, January 31:
A team of students of B.sc Agriculture (Hons), M.sc Agriculture and B.sc (Food Tech) from Parul University, Vadodara, visited the Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission to gain an understanding of the agricultural landscape of Punjab and especially the Punjab State Agricultural Policy, 2023.
The interactive session was chaired by Prof. Dr. Sukhpal Singh, Chairman of the Commission.
The visiting team was led by coordinators Mr. Alex Raj, Mr. Aarav Jain, and Ms. Nmahek Dhabalia, and was accompanied by Dr. Vikram Parmar, Professor at Parul University. Dr. Ranjodh Singh Bains, Administrative Officer-cum-Secretary and Dr. Sukhwinder Singh, retired professor CRIDD also participated in the interaction and engaged with the students during the discussion.
During the interaction, the students actively engaged with the Chairman and the officials on contemporary issues affecting Punjab’s agriculture. Questions were raised on Minimum Support Price (MSP), farm indebtedness, farmer suicides, ongoing farmers’ protests, and the future of agriculture in the State. Prof. Dr. Sukhpal Singh responded to the queries in a clear and accessible manner, drawing from his long experience in agricultural economics and policy.
Prof. Dr. Sukhpal Singh highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperative institutions, promoting crop diversification, and improving farmers’ access to credit and markets to make agriculture more viable. He also explained how excessive dependence on a few crops has created economic and environmental pressures and stressed the need for balanced and sustainable farming practices.
He further interacted with the students on career opportunities in agriculture and allied sectors, emphasizing that food will be the most important field in the future.
The interaction remained informative and engaging, allowing students to freely express their views and clarify doubts. The visiting students appreciated the open discussion and found the session helpful in understanding the real-world challenges of agriculture in Punjab beyond classroom learning.
The session concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Ranjodh Singh Bains, he extended gratitude to Prof. Dr. Sukhpal Singh, Dr. Sukhwinder Singh, Mr. Alex Raj, Mr. Aarav Jain, and Ms. Nmahek Dhabalia, Dr. Vikram Parmar along with research officer and research assistants of the commission for their active participation and meaningful interaction.
