Author(s):

Itigi Prabhakar, Swetha BS, Shashikala Ruli, Ashoka N and Gajanana Kustagi

Abstract: Experiential learning (EL) is a philosophy and methodologies in which educators purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills, entrepreneurship, and inculcate values. The word ‘experiential’ essentially means that learning and development are achieved through personal involvement and experience, typically in group, by observation, listening, study of theory or hypothesis, rather than on received teaching or training. EL is a business curriculum related endeavor which is interactive. EL is for building skills in project development and execution, decision-making, individual and team coordination, approach to problem solving, accounting, quality control, marketing and resolving conflicts, etc. The programme has end to end approach. Carefully calibrated activities move participants to explore and discover their own potential and in process, provide analytical skills and business acumen. Both activities and facilitation play a critical role in enhancing team performance. It mainly provides the students an excellent opportunity to develop analytical and entrepreneurial skills, and knowledge through meaningful hands on experience, confidence in their ability to design and execute project work. With this Objectives University of Horticulture Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka implemented this programme during the seventh semester of the four year B.Sc. Horticulture degree programme. The study was conducted at UHS Bagalkot, Karnataka to analyse the Entrepreneurship activities undertaken by the students and entrepreneurial skills acquired by the students during the Horticulture Learning Experience Programme. Based on the research it was found that students were in various entrepreneurial activities like processing of fruits and vegetables for value addition, protected cultivation of high values Horticulture crops, Commercial Horticulture and Production and marketing of Biofetiliser. Based on the study it was reveled that hundred per cent of the respondents opined that they acquired production related skills effectively followed by analytical and entrepreneurial skills (85%) team coordination skills (71.67%), marketing and market segmentation skills (63.33%), accounting skills (60.00%), effective communication skills (56.67%) and conflict management skills (40.00%). It was also reveled that only 13.33 per cent of the respondents acquired Project development skills and 8.33 per cent respondents acquired project execution skills. So, these results indicated that there is need to give more emphasis on Detailed Project Report development skills and project execution skills during the process of implementation of Horticulture Learning Experience Programme.

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