POCRA Scheme: Five Days Workshop Of Facilitator At KVK Sagroli

A five days workshop of facilitators under the Project on Climate Resilient Agriculture in Maharashtra has been arranged here at KVK Sagroli. The POCRAis an initiation of Nanaji Deshmukh Krishi Sanjeevani Yojana approved by Government of Maharashtra to enable farming communities with climate change impact. The objective of this project is to enhance climate-resilience and profitability of smallholder farming system in selected districts of Maharashtra including 275 villages of  Nanded district.

Facilitators are the key source for the implementation at grassroot level hence their  righto approach really makes difference. The workshop of forty trainees wholly centred around the concept of Shetishala that is the new approach to face climate change impact. Trainees will help small and medium scale farmers who are more vulnerable to the impact of climate change  to seek ,study and solve problems at their own level as well as provide them necessary skills and technical assistance required to meet the need. They will also confirm the importance of soil testing and pest control on cotton, soybean and toor to improve the quality of food grains produced.

An MOU signed between Government of Maharashtra and Indian Council Of Agriculture Research speaks about the role of KVKs in POKRA Scheme. KVKs are to demonstrate existing technologies that help farmers to cope with climate variability as well as extend fodder, jowar, gram and safflower cultivation areas. KVKs should promote inter crop plantation in kharif season.

Two Days Robocamp At Sagroli:

A two days workshop on introduction of Robotics and Arduino Coding has been arranged here at Sagroli on 11^th and 12^th April under the banner of Atal Tinkering Lab. Mr. Abhishek Joshi the Senior Engineerof Research and Development in National Research Centre (Mumbai) worked rigorously to groom young scientists techno savvy in Robotics.

On the first day participants got familiar with the term Robot, how to identify whether a machine is a Robot or an autonomous bot, Robotics, Aspects of Robotics, philosophy of Artificial Intelligence and types of Robots.They also learnt how to use theory principles and programming of Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical and IT Engineering to design automobile machines.  With Arduino Nano pin board really it becomes easy to make mini-sumo robots, line follower and other robots.Second day was the day of Robo-Racing Competition among twelve groups of seven students each. Before that they were given hands on training of assembling wheel, battery, wires, switches and motors and navigation nobs.Within terms and conditions they had to reach the destinations following the tracks in least timings. It was also aimed to assess their grasping skill.In the mean time students were free to ask any questions regarding the domain if they had any doubt about any topics explained. Students without hesitation asked questions and after hearing answers from presenter they were satisfied.

Fifteen participants were honoured with certificate of merit and they will represent Sagroli at National Research Centre, Mumbai. Other sixty nine campers were felicitated with certificate of participation.

Joined Hands With Labours SSM Chairman Did Shramadan At Katkalamba:

SSM Chairman Shri Pramodji Deshmukh paid second visit to soil and water conservation work started at Katkalamba, Kandhar Block. General Manager of Nanded Branch (NABARD) Shri Rajesh Dhurve was with him to have a brief inspection of on going project work. National Agriculture Bank And Rural Development provides financial assistance to such plans implemented in watershed development area and  SSM Team guides and leads it.

During his second visit Pramodji joined hands with site labours in shramadana and desilted a cement bund that sent a wave of energy to onlookers. He had a talk with the villagers about work stages and task completion. He also briefed them about the future benefits of conservation projects. There the atmosphere got echoed with slogans shouted by villagers on soil and water conservation.

Grow More- Summer Camp At Sainiki Vidyalaya:

Located at the picturesque foothill of Balaghat, SSM’s Sainiki Vidyalaya organises a series of summer camp for teenagers every year to facilitate them with its infrastructure and to provide them an unique experience for their all round personality development through multi fold physical and intellectual activities  as an exit from their routine tiresome chores.

            Organised between 15^th to 26^th April, this year summer camp witnessed an overwhelming response from parents as more than 110 students registered their names for the camp. The campers will be trained in swimming, horse riding, firing, yoga, skating, mallakhamb and karate. They are deliberately exposed to paper art, soil art, drawing, Rangoli, acting and music to explore hidden talent within them. This summer camp is their rightful place to demonstrate their art as such creative and intellectual activities find a very little space during their schooling days. Speeches on Vedic Mathematics and Eradication of Superstition were delivered by veteran personalities. Magic show and science experiments were really helpful as an entertainment cum education.

            Before departure to their native places, they were taken on a short tour to have a look at rural life in real sense which they have heard only in stories. They were shown poultry, goatery, dairy, silk farm and nursery. Last but not least the campers relished junket in the fields. Cultural Programmes were organised in evening on last day.

Selected By ISRO's YUVIKA Programme, Gayatri Explores Her Space:

Gayatri Thakur, a 9^th Grade student of SSM’s Shri Chhatrpati Shivaji High school, stood atop in Maharashtra State and made her space among 105 across India to join YUva VIgyan KAryakram (YUVIKA) that is Young Scientists Grooming Camp to be held at U R Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru. In a series of screening activities, she has outrun thousands of her counterparts in academic performance and extracurricular activities with special preference given to students from rural areas and reached where she is now. Gayatri will be imparted basic knowledge on Space Technology, Space Science and Space Application with an intention of arousing their interest in the emerging areas of Space Research and Application. The YUVIKA programme of Indian Space Research Organisation is also goaled to catch them young by providing residential training of two weeks during the summer holidays.

The achievement has been a result of an undeterred support of organisations like Caring Friends, Drishti HRC,Arpan Foundation and many other individuals sponsors who encourage us to tap and excel the rural talent. The Merit Improvement Programme manifested at SSM’s schools is consistently adding feathers to the cap. While Gayatri is curious to join training camp at Bengaluru, the other students of her age, seek a lot of inspiration from her.