Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, May 2 

Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K) on Saturday launched a large-scale student rural engagement initiative aimed at strengthening agricultural education through field exposure across the Valley.

The programme, titled Student Rural Exploration Programme (SREP), has been rolled out under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP-20).

SKUAST-K Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai said the initiative is intended to bridge the gap between scientific learning and rural realities by placing students directly in villages for hands-on engagement.

Under the programme, more than 3000 students have been deployed across over 300 university-adapted villages in Kashmir. 

The students come from disciplines including agriculture, horticulture, veterinary sciences, fisheries, sericulture, forestry and agricultural engineering.

Officials said each field team includes undergraduate and postgraduate students along with PhD scholars, working under faculty supervision to conduct participatory rural appraisal and field surveys.

The programme also aims to provide farmers with technical advisory support, diagnostic services and information on government schemes, while enabling students to understand grassroots agricultural challenges.

The university said the initiative is designed to strengthen rural outreach, promote agri-based entrepreneurship and generate real-time data to guide future research and policy interventions.