Workshop on Frontier Home Science Technologies for Knowledge and Economic Empowerment

ICAR Zonal Project Directorate Zone VIII Bangalore and University of Agricultural Sciences

Dharwad jointly organized a workshop for Subject Matter Specialists (Home Science) from the

states of Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Union Territory of Puducherry on 28 th to 30th

October 2014. The SMS (Home Science) from 57 KVKs participated in the workshop.The

workshop was inaugurated on 28th October 2014 morning by Dr H S Vijayakumar Director of

Education, UAS Dharwad in the presence of Dr Sreenath Dixit Zonal Project Director, ICAR

Zonal Project Directorate, Zone VIII Bangalore and Dr.M B.Chetti, Director of Extension,

Directorate of Extension, UAS Dharwad.

The major technical sessions include i) Food Processing and Value Addition, ii) Drudgery

Reduction, Income Generation and Women Empowerment, iii) Textile and Apparel Designing

iv) Child Care and Family Management v) Extension and Communication Management and vi)

General Assessment and Demonstrations. Faculty from Rural Home Science College UAS

Dharwad conducted the technical sessions.

On 29th October 2014, the participants were taken for a field visit in Gadag district, in which they

were exposed to Home Science activities conducted by KVK Gadag including the exhibition,

mini processing unit for production of home science products and KVK mall. They visited the

sales centre of Mrs.Jayamma Benni where the rural women entrepreneur is selling value added

products from minor millets, jaggery added products like holige etc. In addition they had

exposure to production of value added products from sorghum and other millets at Padmavathi

SHG Production Unit Hulkoti.

The following are the major recommendations / suggestions to be followed by all KVKs w.r.t to

Home Science based activities in KVK

1) The Subject Matter Specialist Home Science has an important role in the overall KVK

performance and hence needs adequate emphasis and encouragement for optimal output

2) SMS Home Science must identify the thematic areas under which they can propose

OFT/FLD in consultation with experts

3) It is advisable but not compulsory for SMS Home Science to propose On Farm Trials in

action plan proposals. An OFT may be proposed by SMS Home Science while addressing

location specific issues.

4) SMS Home Science can propose more Frontline Demonstrations on successful

technologies

5) Home Science technologies which have been released long ago and if have not reached

the farmers / stakeholders can be disseminated through FLD/assessed through OFT

6) Programme Coordinators should facilitate Home Scientists to upscale successful Home

Science Technologies through large scale demonstrations on convergence mode

7) KVK Home Scientist may encourage SHGs for preparation of Project Proposals on

successful technologies on EDP mode

8) Home Scientists may define their roles in demonstration of technologies like backyard

poultry, nutritional gardening, storage and perseveration technologies, production and

supply of bio-products, seed and planting materials, health and hygiene, home medicine

etc.

Dr.Sreenath Dixit addressing the participants in Home Science Workshop