FNU Lecturer To Pursue Crop Master’s Degree In China
It was a dream come true for Fiji National University (FNU) lecturer Ashmit Kumar after securing a scholarship from the Chinese government to pursue his Master’s Degree in Crop Genetics and Breeding.
Mr Kumar, an assistant lecturer with the Department of Crop Production at the College of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (CAFF), will study at the Graduate School of Chinese Academy in agricultural Science based in Beijing.
The 24-year-old said he was pleasantly surprised when contacted by the Chinese Embassy and informed of the scholarship.
“I was thrilled to hear that I was considered for the scholarship. This indeed is a great opportunity for me to pursue my dream,” said Mr Kumar.
“I applied for the same scholarship last year, but I was unsuccessful. I applied again this year and made it, so I’m really happy.” Coming from a farming background, Mr Kumar said his interest has always been to assist with the development of the agricultural industry in Fiji.
“I have opted to study genetic diversity to improve molecular breeding techniques of rice varieties. Rice is one of the important cereal crops and the consumption of rice is very high in the world,” he said. “This is a three-year programme and I will do my research in China since the rice varieties are normally the same with very little variations. Also, today in modern agriculture, crop improvement is the answer to most of the problems, whether it is linked to pest diseases, soil types or climatic conditions. Therefore, the idea is to learn the concept on how we can apply these techniques successfully in Fiji.”
Mr Kumar is excited to commence his studies in China and hopes to return as a qualified crop genetic and plant breeder.
He leaves for China on Monday, September 3, 2018. Source: Fiji National University