Lovely Professional University and School of Agriculture along with NSS unit Prayas organized an Agricultural Awareness Programme at Hardo-Pharala village, coordinated by Dr. Haobijam James Watt and Dr. Sharad Sachan with 10 NSS students. Resource persons from the Department of Agricultural Entomology delivered talks: Dr. Des Raj Sharma, Dr. Ankush Rawat, and Dr. Sandeep Chaudhary on pest management; Dr. Ujagar Singh Walia on Weed Management in Kharif Crops; Dr. Harmit Singh Thind on Efficient Nutrient Management; Dr. Adesh Kumar on Plant Disease Management using Biopesticides & Biochar; and Dr. Devendra Kumar on Mushroom Cultivation. Graced by Dean Dr. Ramesh Kumar Sadawarti and Sarpanch Karanjit Singh, the programme promoted sustainable farming and strengthened ties with the local farming community.

The School of Agriculture proudly hosted the Kisan Aitri Manch, a unique event that brought together farmers, students, and experts to share ideas, insights, and solutions for a sustainable agricultural future. Through enlightening discussions and knowledge-sharing sessions, the event explored innovative ways to empower farmers and revolutionize the agriculture sector. It served as a celebration of collaboration, innovation, and the collective drive to create a brighter, more sustainable future for farming. The School extends heartfelt gratitude to all the farmers, students, and experts who contributed to making this event a remarkable success, with the shared vision of continuing to learn, grow, and shape the future of agriculture together.

Department of Agronomy, School of Agriculture conducted an event named “Parthenium Awareness week” from 11th September to 16th September 2023. Parthenium is poisonous, pernicious problematic, allergic and aggressive weed posing a serious threat to human beings and animals, so, it needs proper management. The main focus of the event was to spread awareness amongst the farmers, local people and students about one of the most notorious weeds Parthenium. Campaigning in the nearby villages adopted by LPU was scheduled in order to educate the farmers about various methods of controlling the weed. Approximately 150 students from the school participated in the event and had a wonderful exposure of the extension activity.

Dr. Vipul Kumar, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology, along with his Experiential Learning Program (ELP) students, undertook a significant initiative—a Farmer’s Field Visit and Hands-on Training on Biopesticides and their application at Indna Kalaske Village, Phagwara, Punjab. This initiative marks an important step toward promoting sustainable agriculture and eco-friendly pest management practices. The program provided farmers with valuable knowledge on the use of biopesticides, enhancing their understanding of effectiveness and proper application methods. Guided by Dr. Vipul’s expertise and supported by the active involvement of ELP students, the session offered a well-rounded learning experience that equips farmers with practical skills to protect crops while reducing environmental impact. The effort reflects a strong commitment to linking academic knowledge with real-world agricultural challenges, contributing to the growth of modern farming practices and the welfare of rural communities. The visit was further enriched by the contributions of Mr. Gurjinder Singh (Sarpanch) and progressive farmers Amarjit Singh, Gurnam Singh, and Jagdeep Singh, whose active participation helped make the program a resounding success.

From the Department of Plant Pathology, Dr. Adesh Kumar and Dr. Vipul Kumar were invited as esteemed resource persons for a specialized “Train the Trainers” program, underscoring their expertise in the field of plant protection and sustainable agriculture. They delivered an in-depth lecture on the topic “Mass Production of Bio-control Agents and Their Application” at the Central Integrated Pest Management Centre (CIPMC), Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, Jalandhar, Punjab from 26th Feburary 2024 to 02nd March 2024. During this training, they provided comprehensive guidance to officials of the State Agriculture Department, focusing on the techniques, protocols, and best practices for the large-scale production and effective application of various bio-control agents. The aim was to equip these officials with advanced knowledge and practical skills to help farmers protect their crops from harmful insect pests and plant diseases in an eco-friendly and sustainable manner.

Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture LPU celebrated International Fruit Day with great enthusiasm on 12th July 2023. Approximately 150 students participated along with faculties from all the disciplines of agriculture. Several eminent guests from Agriculture field graced the event along with farmers from nearby regions. Various competitions were part of the event viz., fruit carving, fruit relay race and quiz. Here are few glimpses of the event.

A Skill Training Program on Value-Added Processing of fruits and vegetables was conducted at Lovely Professional University, organized by the Department of Food Technology & Nutrition and HRDC in collaboration with PAMETI Ludhiana, under the Skill India initiative. Coordinated by Dr. Sonia Morya, the program aimed to equip rural students with practical knowledge and skills in fruit and vegetable processing techniques, including dehydration, jam and pickle making, squash preparation, fruit leather production, chemical preservation, packaging, and quality evaluation. The training emphasized hands-on learning to enhance value addition and promote entrepreneurship in the agro-processing sector. Dr. Kanwar Barjinder Singh, Director of PAMETI Ludhiana, graced the event with his presence. A post-training evaluation was conducted to assess participants’ learning outcomes, ensuring the effectiveness of the program in skill development and capacity building.