Break conventional mindset, build careers in farming: Assam minister Pijush Hazarika to agriculture students

Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika on Sunday, August 16 urged agriculture graduates to move beyond the conventional pursuit of government jobs and explore farming and agri-entrepreneurship as viable career options.

Addressing the 79th Foundation Day celebrations of the College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University (AAU), Jorhat, Hazarika said the government sector alone cannot provide employment to all agriculture graduates. He encouraged students to adopt innovative approaches and establish themselves as successful farmers and agri-preneurs.

The minister said young people could earn significantly higher incomes through horticulture compared to conventional salaried employment. He also stressed the need to change the social perception that farming is a profession meant only for economically disadvantaged sections.

Hazarika said the Agriculture Department has decided to organise agricultural workshops at 50 colleges across Assam following directions from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He sought the cooperation of AAU authorities and faculty members for the initiative and said a Memorandum of Understanding between the Education Department and Agriculture Department would soon be signed to facilitate its implementation.

He also said the Agriculture Department plans to distribute five crore high-value fruit saplings across the state and sought AAU's support in assisting farmers with the initiative.

The minister urged agriculture students to take the lead in promoting Makhana cultivation, saying the crop could provide farmers with an opportunity to increase their income while offering an alternative to conventional agricultural practices.

Reiterating the government's focus on strengthening Assam's agriculture sector, Hazarika said the Agriculture Department was expediting the supply of paddy seedlings and horticulture saplings to four districts recently affected by floods.

The foundation day programme was attended by AAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Dipjyoti Rajkhowa, Madhabdev University Vice-Chancellor Arupjyoti Choudhury, MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and MLAs Hitendra Nath Goswami, Rupjyoti Kurmi and Dhiraj Gowala, among other dignitaries.

Following the programme, Hazarika inspected various agricultural research and demonstration projects on the AAU campus. These included high-yielding paddy cultivation, seed research, climate-resilient integrated farming systems, the Amrit Sarovar project, integrated paddy-cum-fish farming models and agro-meteorological observatories.

The minister highlighted the role of Assam Agricultural University in advancing agricultural research, promoting modern farming practices and helping make the state's farming community more productive and self-reliant.