Department of Agribusiness Management Nauni,Solan (HP)

Dr Kapil Kathuria
Professor & Head

In this era of fast-changing business environment, the demand for motivated and responsive specialized human resources has increased manifold. With a view to develop such a human resource in the field of agribusiness, the University started Masters of Business Administration (Agribusiness) programme in the academic session 1997-98 in the Department of Social Sciences. This programme became very popular and in the year 2007 a full-fledged Department of Business Management was established in the College of Horticulture; after carving the programme out from the Department of Social Sciences. Presently, the Department is running two different management degree programmes of MBA (Agribusiness) and PhD (Agribusiness). The department aims at positioning itself as a world-class centre of learning and lays special emphasis on the all-round development and growth of managerial talents. The focus of the programmes is on developing conceptual, interpersonal and management awareness for the implementation of new structures and strategies. To be at par with other universities/educational institutes in the country, the university has adopted the course package suggested by the Vth Deans’ Committee of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research for its management programmes. The Department aims at positioning itself as a renowned centre of learning and lays special emphasis on the all-around development of the students.

The Department is engaged in the research and extension activities also. The faculty has been publishing research papers in international Journals of repute. As an extension mandate, capacity-building programmes and exposure visits of farmers are also conducted regularly in the Department.

Mandate

  • To equip students with the required conceptual, interpersonal skills and social purpose for managerial functioning in the fields of business with specific emphasis on agriculture, horticulture and forestry businesses.
  • To inculcate entrepreneurial capabilities in the students to make them effective change agents and to offer managerial inputs to business organisations
  • To nurture in the students the capabilities of setting standards of excellence in their managerial responsibilities.

Strengths

  • Strong Academia-Industry Interface
  • High-Quality Infrastructure for improved teaching and learning experience
  • Curriculum as per the needs of the changing industry 4.0
  • Provision and procedures for testing of brand name of new molecule formulations for private and public sector Indian companies.

Academics

The Department offers Degree programmes for

  • MBA (Agribusiness)
  • PhD (Agribusiness Management)
    • Click here for course details
    Achievements
    • Dr Rahul Dhiman authored a book titled “Effective Leadership and Organization’s Market Success” (1 ed.) published by Taylor and Francis
    • Dr Rahul Dhiman, Assistant Professor was invited by University of Madrid, Spain as a Visiting Researcher from September 4-18, 2023 fully funded by NAHEP-IDP
    • Dr Rahul Dhiman, Assistant Professor published a paper titled Financial risk Tolerance: A Review and Research Agenda in European Management Journal published by Elsevier, Impact Factor 7.5, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0263237323001251
    • Four PhD students (Ms Apoorva Sahni, Ms Swapandeep Kaur, Ms Monica Negi and Mr Pankaj Thakur) qualified UGC-NET in Management.
    • Three students (Ms Neha Thakur, Mr Vishal Kumar, and Mr Anshmant Sharma) represented the University by presenting a paper in an International Conference at the Indian Institute of Management, Kashipur, Uttrakhand in December 2022.
    • More than 100 alumni are serving in various capacities in Agro Industries, Multinational companies, Central and State Universities, Public and Private Sector banks etc. at senior and middle-level executive positions.

    Expert talk with MBA and Ph D students

    Rural Awareness Work Experience (RAWE)

    Research

    Thrust Areas

    • Preparation of business plans for all the commercially grown fruits and vegetables
    • Agriculture entrepreneurship intentions of the students’
    • Adoption and non-doption behaviour of farmers’ towards natural farming
    • Business modules for the market potential for fruits, flower crops and mushrooms and study of agribusiness potential in all the generated technologies by different departments
    • Impact studies of different government schemes on agriculture systems
    • Developing business models for different agriculture and fruit crops and studying agriculture entrepreneurship intentions among students
    • Value chain and supply chain system; farmers’ awareness and perceptual mapping on microfinance in agribusiness
    • Agricultural Start-up Ecosystem and Challenges: A Study in North India funded by Indian Council of Social Sciences Research (ICSSR), New Delhi, Government of India, Project Director: Dr Rahul Dhiman, Assistant Professor, Department of Business Management
    • Monitoring and Evaluation of Capacity Building of Universities funded by NITI Aayog, PI: Dr Kapil Kathuria; Co-PI: Dr Nisha Kumari
    • Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Agricultural Higher Education Project, Institutional Development Plan.
    • A total number of 32 students have availed an opportunity to enhance their skills through overseas training in the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok-Thailand for three weeks duration
    • A total number of 10 students availed Overseas training cum exposure to Western Sydney University- Sydney (Australia) for three weeks duration from April 28-May 18, 2023
    • A total number of 27 faculty members have undertaken overseas exposure visits of 15 days to one-month duration to different countries like Australia, UK, Germany, Israel, Canada, Thailand, France and South Korea
    • International certificate course in collaboration with FAO was organised on natural farming. A total number of 20 faculty members were the beneficiaries
    • Various courses on soft skills and leadership skills were introduced to the students.
    • Environmental sustainability resources like E-vehicle were installed in the University
    • The alumni engagement centre is developed at the University.
    • Open-air theatre, meditation and yoga centre and university gate were constructed under the beautification of the campus.
    • The laundry facility was created for the benefit of students
    • The new courses added are International certificate courses on horticulture and forestry. Vocational and entrepreneurial courses, Soft Skills for weak students; and Communication events for effective leadership
    • A total number of 27 faculty members have undertaken overseas exposure visits of 15 days to one-month duration to different countries like Australia, UK, Germany, Israel, Canada, Thailand, France and South Korea
    • A total number of 32 students have availed an opportunity to enhance their skills through overseas training in the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok-Thailand for three weeks duration
    • A total number of 10 students availed Overseas training cum exposure to Western Sydney University- Sydney (Australia) for three weeks duration from April 28-May 18, 2023

    Extension

      To disseminate the Agriculture Entrepreneurship practices and Personality Development through different communication means for better adoption among the farmers and students in the field.


      Achievements
    • A three days workshop titled “Sensitizing Youth on Various Startup Related Schemes to Promote Agriculture Entrepreneurship” fully funded by Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi, Govt. of India was organized in the Department from 5th – 7th March, 2024
    • An exposure visit of MBA (Agribusiness) students’ and Incubatees in the University was conducted under the Govt. of India project to Global Apiaries (India), Mohali, Punjab on March 6, 2024
    • Three Days Workshop titled “Agribusiness and Agripreneurship: Empowering the Future of Agriculture” was organized in the Department funded by IDP-NAHEP from August 21-23, 2023.
    • A certificate course on Soft Skills for Statistical Analysis from May 18-31 was organized in collaboration with the Department of Basic Science funded by NAHEP-IDP
    • More than 30 capacity-building programmes to promote agriculture entrepreneurship have been conducted for farmers and more than 500 farmers participated in such programmes conducted in the department
    • Farmers from Tribal Communities and other backward classes have also been trained to undertake entrepreneurship in horticulture
    • More than 30 Personality Development Programmes have been organised for UG and PG students to make them industry ready

    Farmers' arrival in Agriculture Entrepreneurship Program

    Awards/Recognitions

    • Dr Rahul Dhiman, Assistant Professor in the Department has been conferred with Impactful Research Award by Sage publishing house.

    Facilities

    • Three Smart Class Rooms for quality teaching and learning processes
    • A State of Art Committee Room with a seating capacity of 70
    • A state of Art Computer Lab with 60 computers
    • The department is capable of providing consultancy service to the business firms

    Gallery

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