Punjab Agricultural Management & Extension Training Institute (PAMETI) situated at PAU Campus, Ludhiana has played a key role in capacity building of extension workers from agriculture and allied sectors in the field of agricultural management and extension since its inception. PAMETI is the only state level training institute meant for training of the Trainers/Extension functionaries of the Agriculture & Allied Departments of the Punjab State. Currently, the institute is running under Krishionnati Yojna. Till this date, the PAMETI conducted a total of 692 trainings (both offline and online) under this scheme and trained more than 25,000 trainees. Under Skill Training of Rural Youth (STRY) scheme, more than 4,000 have been trained. A total of 197 officers from various agricultural departments underwent Postgraduate Diploma in Agriculture Extension Management (PGDAEM). 1,440 trainees obtained Diploma in Agriculture Extension Services for Input Dealers (DAESI) through 36 batches. In addition to this, a total of six national and international projects of Rs. 1.80 crores have been handled by this Institute.
To commemorate the Silver Jubilee Foundation Day celebrations of PAMETI, a function was held at its campus today where dignitaries from agriculture department and both the Vice Chancellors of PAU and GADVASU graced the occasion.
The Small-Scale Packaging Center for Small and Marginal Farmers at PAMETI is a state-of-the-art facility designed to enhance the value of perishable horticultural produce through modern post-harvest handling and packaging technologies. This center has been established to support small and marginal farmers by providing them access to affordable packaging services that improve shelf life, maintain quality, and reduce post-harvest losses. By enabling farmers to package their produce at a nominal cost, the center helps improve marketability and ensures better price realization, ultimately contributing to income enhancement.
The Chief Guest, S. Arshdeep Singh Thind, IAS, Hon’ble Administrative Secretary, Agriculture, Punjab very gracefully laid down the Silver Jubilee Foundation stone of PAMETI. In his speech, he applauded the achievements made by PAMETI during the past 25 years. Speaking about the Small Scale Packaging Center, recently established at PAMETI, he remarked that the said facility not only showcases the best practices in post-harvest management but also strengthens the value chain, empowering farmers with tools and knowledge to maximize the returns from their hard-earned produce.
Dr S SGosal, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, PAU graced the occasion as Guest of Honour. In his key-note address, he appreciated the efforts made by PAMETI for running DAESI programme with KVKs and conducting STRY trainings in collaboration with Farm Advisory Service Centres (FASCs), Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).
DrJaswant Singh, Director of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Punjab graced the occasion as Special Guest. He appreciated PAMETI’s role in capacity building of agriculture officers.
Dr S P S Brar, the Founder Director of PAMETI and Dr H S Dhaliwal, former Director, PAMETI shared their rich experiences regarding the upliftment of PAMETI to the higher levels. He reiterated the sweet memories when His Excellency, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Hon’ble President of India inaugurated this pioneer Institute on 4th September, 2003.
Dr. K. B. Singh, Director, PAMETI, expressed gratitude to the Chief Guest and other dignitaries present in the event. He further talked about new initiatives taken by PAMETI regarding CCINM programme for fertilizer dealers to obtain license for business purpose; launching of Business Bibaz’ for transform traditional farming into business success through their capacity building and establishment of Small Scale Packaging Center of Horticultural Produce for Small and Marginal Farmers at PAMETI. He also shared the future plans about starting of Agri-Clinic and Agri-Business Centre (ACABC) and additional CCINM batches at PAMETI to meet the growing demand.
The vote of thanks was rendered by Dr Balwinder Singh Lakhewali, Deputy Director (Agriculture Extension).