Innovative Farmers’ Conference concludes at SKUAST-Jammu

Innovative Farmers’ Conference concludes at SKUAST-Jammu
Advisor Farooq Khan attends valedictory function of Innovative Farmers’ Conference as Chief Guest
Stresses for need to involve UG, PG students in entrepreneurship development programs
JAMMU, OCTOBER 08: Advisor to Lt Governor, Farooq Ahmad Khan today stressed on the need to impart practical knowledge to the students so that they could connect themselves with the various aspects of agriculture and develop themselves from ’Job Seekers’ to ‘Job Providers’.

The Advisor was speaking as a Chief Guest at the valedictory function of Innovative Farmers’ Conference in 5-days’ long Northern India Regional Agriculture Fair 2021 here at SKUAST Jammu. He urged students to provide their expertise in the establishment and success of Farmer Producer Organizations. Advisor in his address said that there is need to involve UG and PG students in entrepreneurship development programs.

The Advisor said that farmers of Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are benefitted from the Innovative Farmers Conference wherein Padma Shree awardee farmers and National awardee farmers interacted with them and shared experiences of their success in agriculture and allied enterprises. The Advisor appreciated Prof. J. P. Sharma, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST- Jammu for bringing remarkable progress and development in the working culture of the university.

Meanwhile, the Advisor also inaugurated a fruits, vegetables and flowers show, and inspected exhibitions and stalls demonstrated by the university, line departments, farmers, start-ups etc. He also visited technology park, Research Farm, Chatha, mushroom centre, api-culture centre and interacted with UG and PG students of SKUAST-Jammu.

During his visit to the Fisheries unit, the Advisor advises to focus on promotion of Snow trout and Mahseer species of fishes in Jammu region. Farooq Khan also virtually inaugurated the Faculty Club of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry. An Agreement was also made between Bhopinder Singh an entrepreneur of Rajouri district and SKUAST-Jammu on Commercialization of Condensed Tannins Enriched Multi – Nutrient Block Technology (MNB-CT).

Padma Shree, Bharat Bhushan Tyagi, Padma Shree, Hukum Chand Patidar and awarded farmer, Lt. Col. Subhash Chander Deshwal also spoke on the occasion and shared their journey of success in agriculture and allied activities.

In his welcome address, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-Jammu and Chief Patron of the Agriculture Fair, Prof. J. P. Sharma, thanked the Advisor for valuable suggestions and guidance from time to time. Prof. Sharma also thanked Director Agriculture, Director Horticulture and other allied departments for their active participation in Agriculture Fair and Farmers’ Innovative Conference. He appreciated all the Padma Shree and National awardee farmers for sharing their valuable experiences with the participating farmers.

Prof. Sharma informed that for the promotion of organic farming, two days workshop at SKUAST-Kashmir and one day workshop at SKUAST-Jammu was organized. The inputs for the promotion of organic farming are also discussed with Padma Shree, Bharat Bhushan Tyagi and the suggestions given by him will be considered. At the end, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-Jammu said that the success of such type of events depends upon the participation of farmers.

Earlier, In impressive fruit, vegetable and flower show, two categories of fruits, fresh and dry fruits were exhibited. There were 131 samples under fresh fruits comprising of apple, pear, citrus, dragon fruit, quince, aonla, guava, kiwi. In dry fruits 100 samples comprising of walnut, pecan nut, almond, chestnut. KVKs from SKUAST- Kashmir namely, Anantnag, Kargil-II, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama and Division of Fruit Science, Shalimar also participated. Farmers from all districts of Jammu participated in the Fruit Show.

Flower show had 150 exhibits in 8 categories, namely, pot plants greens, cacti, bonsai, cut flowers, flower arrangement, dry flowers. In vegetable show 75 samples in 6 categories namely cole crops, root crops, tubers, onion- garlic, dehydrated vegetables from Kargil, Leh, Rajouri, Poonch. Processed products of fruits and vegetables were also exhibited by Department of. FST, SKUAST- Jammu and Kashmir and Department of Horticulture, Jammu.

Director Agriculture, K. K. Sharma; Director Horticulture, Ram Sewak; Statutory officers of the university, HoDs of various departments; faculty members, students of SKUAST-J, besides scores of farmers were present on the occasion. Vote of thanks was extended by Dr. Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi, Director Extension, SKUAST-Kashmir. Proceedings of the program were conducted by Dr. Pawan Sharma, Scientist, KVK, Kathua.