Message from the Desk of Dean
Sustainable agriculture in North Eastern India has become a serious concern due to climate change. We are now facing the problem of declining soil health, unsustainable agricultural practices and unfavourable climate change like rise in maximum temperature and fall in minimum temperature as well as aberrant rainfall pattern. Frequent drought and flood in the region has enormously affected the agricultural production. Likewise, loss of available top soil, water availability, soil acidity, poor conservation practices, reduction of microbial activities are also major constraints in ensuring the food, nutritional and livelihood security of the region. In addition to these constraints, rising input costs, unpredictable market situations and shortage of agricultural work force are the major challenges in the development of agricultural scenario of NE region.
Farming systems approach to research, extension and development is considered as the key to develop sustainable agriculture, and if, any country aspires to develop sustainable agriculture, its agriculture programmes must revolve around farming system approach for sustainable management of its resources. College of Agriculture, Kyrdemkulai has its core focus on academic and research on organic based integrated farming systems.
The newly established college i.e. College of Agriculture, established at Kyrdemkulai, Meghalaya is expected to bridge the void which was felt by the state for a long time and meet the aspirations and needs of the local people. It will also meet the urgent need of trained manpower required for rapid growth of agriculture in the region. The eastern part of India which has a plethora of unutilized natural resources has always been considered as a potential area which if utilized can lead to an increase in the agricultural production of the area. But one of the major constraints identified for slow growth of agriculture in this region is the shortage of trained manpower. The college was established with this vision for enlightenment of the new generation with different technologies and to convey the knowledge of modernization of agriculture to the local people.
The profile will be useful to many, particularly serve the students, faculties, staffs, researchers and many more in the future providing them insights and information regarding the initial stages of the journey of the college and how the college is contributing and advancing in its path of vision everyday with fewer faculty, staffs and resources, in making a better world for the future generation.