Jammu : A group of 35 students of Army Public School, Sunjwan, accompanied by their teachers, Wednesday visited the Directorate of Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare here at Krishi Bhawan, for a one-day scientific exposure-cum-educational tour.
The visit aimed to familiarise students with modern agricultural practices, technological advancements and emerging career opportunities in the agriculture sector.
The students were warmly welcomed by Assistant Entomologist, Harvinder Singh, along with experts from the Mushroom Development Scheme and Vegetable Improvement Scheme. During an interactive session, Harvinder Singh highlighted the importance of bees and beekeeping in agricultural development, explaining the role of bees in pollination and the significance of beekeeping as an allied agricultural activity.
AEA Veena Wazir briefed the students about various bee products and their benefits, including honey, beeswax, royal jelly, propolis and bee pollen, highlighting their nutritional, medicinal and commercial value.
The students were also provided detailed insights into mushroom cultivation through practical demonstrations by SMS Kamal Sharma and SMS Manmohan Singh of the Mushroom Development Scheme, Jammu. The experts briefed the students on scientific cultivation techniques of button mushroom and Dhingri (oyster mushroom), their nutritional importance and the scope of mushroom farming as an income-generating activity.
Later, the students visited the Centre of Excellence for Entrepreneurship and Precision Farming in Vegetable and Floriculture. The experts from the Vegetable Improvement Scheme familiarised them with modern vegetable cultivation practices, precision farming techniques, protected cultivation and other innovative agricultural technologies. The students were apprised of the importance of adopting scientific methods to enhance productivity, improve quality and promote entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector.
The students also visited the Medicinal Plant Park, where they were introduced to various medicinal and aromatic plants, their identification, uses and significance in traditional and modern healthcare systems. The experts explained the importance of conserving medicinal plant resources and highlighted their potential for cultivation and commercial utilisation.
The staff and students of Army Public School, Sunjwan, expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Director Agriculture Jammu and his team for the informative sessions, practical demonstrations and guided tour of various demonstration units at the Directorate of Agriculture, Jammu. They observed that the exposure visit had been an enriching learning experience that would broaden students’ understanding of agriculture and motivate them to explore promising career opportunities in the sector.
