Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal

DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY EXTENSION EDUCATION

The Department of extension started functioning since inception of the college on 14.06.1985. The department was re-designated as Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education in 2015 and is mainly involved in undertaking teaching, research and extension activities. Undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the discipline of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension are offered. The Ph.D. and M.V.Sc. programmes were started in the year 1995 and 2004 respectively.
This department serves as a notable link between the college and farming community through organizing various extension activities. In addition, queries raised by the farmers are answered directly by office calls, telephone calls, and also through social media. Guided visits are conducted regularly for entrepreneurs, school and college students to livestock and poultry farm complex for providing exposure on various technologies and farming. Training and capacity building programmes are organized to impart knowledge and skills to the farmers and farm women, entrepreneurs, extension personnel, unemployed veterinarians and civil services aspirants. Technical Advisory Committee meeting and District livestock Forum are co-ordinated by this department.
Further, this department serves as the coordinating unit for VCRI, Namakkal with regard to TANUVAS News Letter and Mass Media contact. It is also involved in arrangement of press meet, mass contact programmes, farm radio school, radio and television talk, seminar, workshop, interaction forum for dissemination of latest animal husbandry innovations/techniques. The important events are documented through photo and video coverage and archived.

Objectives

Teaching Undergraduate and Postgraduate education
Conducting need based research
To transmit scientific knowledge to farmers by way of organising various extension activities

Education

Currently, the Department offers a course on "Veterinary Extension Education" for the students undergoing B.V.Sc. & A.H. degree programme, as per Veterinary Council of India under MSVE Regulations (2016). The Department, also, offers M.V.Sc., and Ph.D., degree programmes in Veterinary Extension Education.

UG Laboratory

Computer Laboratory is equipped with 20 computers with internet facility as well as audio-visual aids for U.G. teaching.
Undergraduate Laboratory is equipped with teaching aids and infrastructure to use microscopes / phase contrast microscopes for U.G. teaching.

Infrastructure

Educational Museum
Farm advisory unit
Video editing unit
Seminar hall

Research

Externaly funded projects – Completed

Title of the project	Year	Funding agency	Principal Investigator
Empowerment of Rural Women through adoption ,	2004-06	DBT, New Delhi	Dr.Peru.Mathialagan
ICAR Network project on “Enhancing Livelihood of Rural Women through Livestock Production”	2009-12	ICAR, New Delhi	Dr.N.Narmatha
Sustaining the Livelihood of Rural Weaker Sections through Innovative Scientific Dairy Farming Technologies of Vellore and Cuddalore District in Tamil Nadu	2015-18	DST, New Delhi	Dr.N.Narmatha

Sub-projects Completed

Title	Year
Impact analysis of trainers training programme	2002
Adoption level of Dairy Farmers in Clean Milk Production Practices	2008
Assessment of Socio-Economic and Psychological Problems Associated with Poor Adoption of Livestock Enterprise	2009
Content analysis of Kalnadai Kathir	2011
Status quo of intensive goat farms of Tamil Nadu	2014
Scientometric analysis of post graduate theses of Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal	2017
Impact of experiential learning programme in feed manufacturing technology on the entrepreneurial qualities of students	2020

Videos Developed

Title	Language	Duration (Minutes)
Silage preparation	Tamil	9.00
Short film on VCRI, Namakkal	Tamil	22.00
Azolla cultivation	Tamil	10.00
Awareness on Covid- 19	Tamil	5.30
Botulism	Tamil	5.00
Popularization of scientific technologies	Tamil	5.20

Human Resource Development

Strengthening the linkage between institution and poultry industry in which the expertise from research and development of the institute is effectively utilized to find solutions to the problems of the industry through Technical Advisory Committee meeting from 2010 onwards.
ICAR winter school on "Livestock based livelihood options: current status, emerging issues & future scenario in combating agrarian crisis" was conducted for the benefit of faculties of veterinary universities (2014).
Personality development” programme for teaching staff, ministerial staff and supporting staff of VC&RI, Namakkal was conducted under ICAR Development Grant (2019).
Field problems identified regularly and arranged technical session with interactions to find solution as part of continuing veterinary education for veterinary assistant surgeons of Namakkal district through District Livestock Forum from 2019 onwards.
Refresher training for Livestock Inspectors under State Fodder Development Scheme (2019).

Outresearch Activities

Village adoption is carried out to improve the socio-economic status of the villagers through livestock farming
Farmer - Scientist interaction meets to identify problems and provide immediate solutions
Conducting Participatory Rural Appraisal at villages to find out problems in the local areas
Technology dissemination through television and radio talks
Conducting guided visits for school and college students, farmers for popularization of science activities
Organising training programmes and workshops for farmers and extension personnel
Offering farm advisory services for farmers

Faculty

Dr. N.Akila, Professor and Head
Dr. K.M.Sakthivel, Associate Professor
Dr. V.Uma, Assistant Professor
Dr. P.Ponnusamy, Assistant Professor
Dr. S.Karthikeyan, Assistant Professor

The Associate Professor and Head,
Dept. of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education,
Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal - 637 002.
Phone: +91-4286-266491/92/93
E-mail: ahe-vcri-nkl@tanuvas.org.in