The Governor and chancellor of Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Uttarakhand Horticulture and Forestry University, Bharsar, Baby Rani Maurya presided over the university’s first convocation at its campus in Ranichauri, Tehri district.
A total of 412 students were given degrees on the occasion while six students were presented gold medals, six received silver medals and six received bronze medals for meritorious performance.
In her convocation speech, Maurya said that preparing capable human resources for the horticulture, forestry and hill farming and promoting beneficial research work should be priority of the university.
On account of climate change new challenges are emerging in the management of horticulture, forests and agriculture. Farmers are being affected by all this directly. She said that there was immense potential for production of various fruits and off-seasonal vegetables in the State.
She added that Baranaja system (twelve-grain farming) has been part of agricultural practice in Uttarakhand.
Due to good quantity of nutrient, the demand for these local grains of Uttarakhand is high in the global market.
Emphasising on the zero budget natural farming she said that his and other models of organic farming should be studied and implemented in the State widely.
Maurya said that the university should work for the plantation and water conservation in the State.
Every student of the university should plant five plants every year and look after them. The university should award some marks for plantation to students under improved examination system, she added.
The local MLA Dhan Singh Negi, agriculturalist Subhash Palekar, Garhwal commissioner and university vice chancellor BVRC Purushottam were also among those present on the occasion.