Anantnag: Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Ashish Chandra Verma on Tuesday called for a gradual shift towards organic and sustainable farming practices while leading an awareness programme under the Khet Bachao Abhiyaan at Khanabal in Anantnag district.
The programme was organised by the Agriculture Department to promote sustainable agricultural practices and create awareness among farmers regarding scientific and environment-friendly farming techniques.
The event was attended by Bilal Mohiuddin Bhat, Director Agriculture Kashmir Sartaj Ahmad Shah, Director Extension SKUAST-K Rehana Habib, senior officers from agriculture and allied departments, progressive farmers and representatives of agricultural cooperative societies.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Verma said that the Khet Bachao Abhiyaan is an important initiative aimed at encouraging sustainable agriculture through scientific and judicious use of resources, including fertilisers, land and water, while promoting organic and eco-friendly farming practices.
He stressed the need for adopting productive agricultural technologies and scientific farming methods suited to local agro-climatic conditions while maintaining soil health and environmental balance. He also highlighted the importance of protecting the topsoil layer and gradually transitioning towards natural and organic farming, saying such practices hold significant long-term potential.
The ACS urged farmers to make full use of government schemes such as Soil Health Cards, Kisan Credit Cards (KCC), PM Fasal Bima Yojana and credit-linked initiatives including the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) and JKCIP to maximise productivity and optimise resource utilisation.
“Soil Health Cards help assess macro and micro nutrients and enable farmers to use fertilisers in a scientific manner,” he said.
Encouraging farmers to form Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Dr Verma said the department remains committed to supporting such organisations at every stage. He described sustainable agriculture and farmers’ welfare as key priorities of both the Government of India and the Union Territory administration and assured farmers of continued support.
On the occasion, the ACS also felicitated several progressive farmers and representatives of cooperative societies for their exemplary contributions in their respective fields.
Speaking at the programme, Deputy Commissioner Bilal Mohiuddin Bhat emphasised the need for close coordination between agriculture and allied departments and the district administration to ensure effective implementation of the Khet Bachao Abhiyaan at the grassroots level. He assured full administrative support for popularising the initiative across the district.
Earlier, Director Agriculture Kashmir Sartaj Ahmad Shah highlighted the objectives of the campaign, while Director Extension SKUAST-K Rehana Habib elaborated on its benefits, challenges and the need for active participation of farmers, scientists and field functionaries to strengthen the agriculture sector.
The programme concluded with progressive farmers and other stakeholders pledging their full cooperation for the successful implementation of the Khet Bachao Abhiyaan across the district.
