Perception of Students and Peoples’ Representatives towards Village Stay Module (VSM) of Rural Agricultural Work Experience (RAWE) Programme of Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), India

Pages: 91-94
P. Sreenath and Sreedaya Gopinathannair Sarojini (Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellayani, Kerala)

The village stay module (VSM) of Rural Agricultural Work Experience Programme (RAWEP) of Kerala Agricultural University is intended to give direct exposure to the Agricultural students on the socio cultural settings and the life of the farming community. The study was conducted as expost facto design in the five locations where VSM of RAWEP of KAU was conducted. Respondents were selected through purposive sampling. Data was collected through structured and pretested interview Schedule. Perception index, RBQ, and weighed mean were the statistical tools. Development plan was successful in projecting the entrepreneurial scope of crops/commodities unique to that village. Enhancing the duration of VSM, more involvement of scientists, proper publicity, and soil test results at the location itself and providing solutions to farmers through innovative technologies are to be considered for fine-tuning of VSM. This study is significant in the context that Agricultural Universities has to support to farming community through agricultural education, research and extension. The finding of the study help curriculum developers to make necessary changes in the curriculum of VSM so that the students may get a clear understanding of farming situation.