MSSRF organises a needs assessment and skill-mapping training for 45 NVA Fellows at the Village Resource Centre in Pudukkottai

On November 30, a training programme for the Jamsetji Tata National Virtual Academy (NVA) Fellows was held at the MSSRF Village Resource Centre (VRC), Pudukkottai District. The meeting was presided over by the one of the senior Fellows and the Tamil Nadu General Secretary of National Farmer’s Association Mr G S Dhanapati. 45 NVA Fellows (including 16 women) participated.

Dr R Rajkumar, Principal Scientist with MSSRF, explained the purpose of the meeting and outlined expectations for the Fellows. He emphasised that MSSRF strives to strengthen connections with the NVA Fellows and is organising several capacity building programmes to align with their skill sets and grassroots needs.

Expressing a sense of pride being part of the NVA, each Fellow spoke about their activities post the Fellowship. They made requests for trainings and awareness programmes on digital literacy, video conferencing apps, organic farming, climate-smart agricultural practices, agriculture-related apps, government entitlements (especially schemes related to the Department of Agriculture and Family Welfare, and animal husbandry). Suggestions were also to organise webinars with experts in agriculture, animal care management, etc.

Women Fellows made specific requests for training programmes on how to use digital tools, health and nutrition, laws related to women, and marketing linkages for products produced by women’s groups. There was a collective request to document the current skill sets of the Fellows and their key activities in knowledge and skills management, as well as hold quarterly meetings for the NVA Fellows.

Ms T Vimala, Field Assistant MSSRF, delivered the welcome address, and Mr R Vinoth Kanna, Technical Assistant at MSSRF, proposed the vote of thanks.

About Jamsetji Tata National Virtual Academy (NVA) Fellowship

This is a flagship programme to empower rural women and men to harness the power of modern information communication technology for enhancing agrarian prosperity and sustainable agricultural development. The NVA Fellows are grassroots innovators having the competence to evolve as role models and champions to accelerate transformative changes in rural areas, especially among youths.

The Academy has demonstrated how rural women and men can become extraordinary agents of technological and social change in the areas of agriculture, fishery, biodiversity conservation, health, water and sanitation.

1874 Fellows (1139 Men & 735 Women) have been elected based on their innovations in the above-mentioned fields since its establishment in 2003-04. The Tata- NVA fellowship eventually intends to map and recognise over 12 lakh fellows across six lakh villages in India.