TNAU's 8 Week training
The provision of 25 per cent capital subsidy envisaged for any bankable project promoted by the trainees of agri-entrepreneur development programme has proved a trigger for candidates seeking more enrolment in the the Tamilnadu Agricultural University'a eight - week training scheme.A number of agricultural graduates who had individually been pursuing agri-businesses after their graduation have begun to get into the development training stream because the scheme enables them to work out their business plans winnable ones from the financial perspective, according to Dr K. Palanisamy, director in the TNAU's Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies (CARDS).
CARDS is one of the 64 agencies identified across the country by the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) and the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) to conduct the agri-oriented entrepreneurship development training for unemployed graduates in agri and allied fields.The participants in the training are exposed to emerging commercially potential technologies, managerial skills.
Of the 82 candidates trained under the programme from the TNAU (in the last four batches), more than 40 candidates have already set up their agri businesses or agri clinics which has put the `success' rate of trained candidates turning into entrepreneurs at about 50 per cent, much above the national average of 20 per cent, according to Dr Palanisamy.Most of the agri-graduates trained from the programme had opted for setting up their agri businesses related to seed production, mixed fertiliser manufacture (including bio-fertilisers), commercial nursery, farm machinery manufacture, horticulture and animal husbandry (poultry).
In addition to the training, the TNAU provides `handholding' to the trained entrepreneurs up to one year in terms of technology assistance, arranging credit interfacing with the bankers and providing need based information on policies.TNAU is planning to hold its next training programme during June-July.
