To provide essential updates on the recent developments in the field of animal and veterinary sciences, essential knowledge and skills to the young agri-preneures and to provide necessary platform to gain knowledge about entrepreneurial opportunities in Livestock sector a course on Skill and Knowledge Development for Potential Livestock Entrepreneurs was organised on 12 to 13 February 2021 under NAHEP-IDP at UAS, Dharwad. The programme was organised to final year agriculture and veterinary female students. Dr. Prakash Bhat, Jnana Vikas Training Institute, Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP), Rayapura, Hubballi, inaugurated the course and opined that most of the farm graduates even with rural background are not exposed to the livestock enterprises. Involvement in live stock entrepreneurship is need of the hour to doubling the income of farm community and also sustainable development to retain the natural resources to the next generation. He also expressed that despite high level of scientific advancement, it is very difficult to forecast the performance of a particular animal because production performance of livestock is influenced by several socio-environmental factors, so such kind of course will influence the knowledge of students in livestock entrepreneurship. Later he also advised that students should follow integrated farming system in their entrepreneurship which will influence agricultural profit in turn it enhance the income of farming community.
Dr. M. B. Chetti, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, UAS, Dharwad, during his presidential address expressed that with the aim of more than 100 students to start their own startups and to become an entrepreneurs, we are sending 120 students to abroad to acquire more knowledge. He also said that World Bank funded IDP project has changed the lifestyle and mindset of an agriculture student in the way of entrepreneurship. M.P. Varsha, Chief Executive Officer, Credit I, Mysore, explained that creation of goodwill will influence the carrier opportunities and acceptance of the employment is needed now a days to avoid the unemployment and also expressed that success in entrepreneurships will leads to money, name, fame, status, position and power so choose any field of interest as an entrepreneurship. Dr. Nadeem Fairoze, Chief Executive, Animal-Agri Solutions, Professor (Retd) and Dean (PGS) (Fmr.), Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bengaluru, explained about the Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Meat Industry. The programme was benefited with more than 160 female agriculture, veterinary students and staff. The programme was organised by Dr. A. S. Patil, Dr. Anil Kumar, G. K. and Dr. Bhageerathi P., Department of Veterinary Sciences, UAS, Dharwad.