JAMMU: The J&K Advisory Board for Development of Kisans organized a Kisan Sammelan in coordination with Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Department at Kisan Bhawan, Talab Tiloo here.
Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department and Vice Chairman, J&K Advisory Board for Development of Kisans, Atal Dulloo, inaugurated the seminar in presence of Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Jammu /SKUAST-Kashmir, Professor Nazir Ahmad Ganie.
The aim of Kisan Sammelan was to facilitate an exclusive interaction of progressive Mushroom Growers with officers of AP&FWD and allied sectors besides receiving feedback from the Board members of the Jammu division about the government schemes and policies with a special focus on Mushroom production, its scope, and impending challenges as well.
Apart from Board members, all heads of Departments of Agriculture, scientists from SKUAST-Jammu, and officers of AP&FWD were present on the occasion.
While addressing the participants, Atal Dulloo said that through these Kisan Sammelans, the department has succeeded in achieving visible progress in the agriculture field both qualitatively and quantitatively. He said mushroom cultivation shall now be around the year activity which previously was a short-duration crop. He informed that under Holistic Agriculture Development Plan 26 pasteurized compost units, 10 spawn production laboratories, and 72 compost units shall be established in J&K to boost the production of mushrooms.
ACS advised the farmers to avail full advantage of schemes available under the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan and National Horticulture Board.
Responding to the simplification of official procedures and requirements for availing subsidies, he informed that work on establishing an online dashboard is under progress by the Agriculture Production Department. This dashboard shall be an online portal where all schemes under Holistic Agriculture Development Plan and other Heads shall be available in a farmer-friendly manner.
Responding to the integration of Poultry with Mushroom Cultivation, Atal Dulloo asked the AP&FWD to establish compost units where the poultry waste and chicken manure can be utilized in Mushroom production. He informed that training modules have been framed for the officers and officials and farmers as well to make them fully aware of Holistic Agriculture Development Plan for its implementation on the ground. He apprised that videos on the schemes, policies, and successive stories of progressive farmers have also been made available on YouTube. He informed that 2000 Khidmat Centres are also being established where such facilities for our farmers can be made available besides the information about inputs in agricultural activities like information about the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and soil health is also being shared.
Regarding Skill development, ACS said that a learning management system is being created under this programme where the youths shall be trained on how to establish their start-ups and this system shall be in addition to our offline training programmes.
Atal Dulloo asked the Secretary J&K Advisory Board for Development of Kisans to extend these Kisan Sammelans to the district and block levels so that more and more farmers can be joined through these platforms. He assured that the board members shall be involved in Monitoring committees for smooth and complete implementation of the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan.
VC SKUAST-Jammu/ SKUAST-Kashmir appreciated the efforts of the Board for organizing such type of events which give an opportunity to our farmers to use this platform for getting their problems and day-to-day drudgeries heard and simultaneously addressed.
He informed that under the Holistic Agricultural Development Policy new horizons in Agriculture shall be exploited for which a budget of Rs.5000 crore has been approved by the government. Besides, export promotion of the products have been initiated to scale up the business chains. He informed that more Agricultural products are being brought under GI tagging to make these products competitive in the International market.
He said that 2.5 lakh youths have been trained under a skill development programme. He informed that nine students from SKUAST J and SKUAST K have been sent to the USA by the department for an exposure tour.
Deputy Director National Horticulture Board, Sansar Ahmad, gave a PowerPoint Presentation on schemes available with NHB under the Mushroom Development plan.
Board Member, Dr. Pardeep Bharti, informed that the Poultry sector and Mushroom cultivation are two interlinked professions that can be good models for integrating farming. The Poultry farmers need to be motivated to adopt mushroom farming either during off seasons or simultaneously, he added.
Earlier, Secretary of the Board, Abdul Hamid Wani, apprised the participants about the importance of such programmes saying that these help in bridging the gap between farmers and the government.
From Farmer’s gallery, Raman Gupta who is a progressive Mushroom Grower highlighted the issues and problems of mushroom growers. He said that the procedures and official formalities to avail schemes available under the Mushroom sector are time-consuming and cumbersome and hence the government should simplify the same. He also requested for providing solar electricity to the Mushroom growers at subsidized rates.
The Board members present in the Kisan Samailan highlighted various issues of farmers with a special focus on Mushroom production in Jammu division.
Kulbushan Khajuria, Board Member, informed that the spawn which is an important component in Mushroom production is presently being imported from other neighboring states which add input costs in Mushroom hence he requested its production locally for which the interested youth needs to be trained here in Jammu. He further informed that the wheat husk which our farmers usually burn in their fields can be utilized for Compost formation.
The Board also arranged lectures on best practices in Mushroom cultivation during which two prominent scientists from ICAR-Mushroom Research Institute Solan, Himachal Pradesh delivered lectures to the Mushroom growers virtually. Also, scientists from SKUAST-Jammu and experts from AP&FWD shared their insights with the growers in Mushroom Cultivation.
