Pattan: With an aim to empower women and promote the rich Kashmiri tradition of Hokh Syun -dried vegetables- known for their consumption during the harsh winter, Human Aid Society (HAS) inaugurated its centers established under the Sustenance through Affordable Farming Entrepreneurship (SAFE) project with the brand name ‘Arnimal’ in Baramulla district.
The women engaged in the centers will be able to dry and pack the vegetables and fruits using modern machinery for meeting the food demand in winters.
Director Tourism Dr. G N Itoo flanked by Director Agriculture Mohammad Iqbal Chowdary, SDM Pattan Syed Faheem inaugurated the first of its kind centers under SAFE at Sadarbal Pattan in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
While hailing the efforts of the Human Aid Society for empowering women with such innovative projects for sustainable farming and entrepreneurship, Dr. G N Itoo said: “A large quantity of our vegetables rot in our kitchens and kitchen gardens because our women don’t have the means and machines to dry them and preserve them for winters when there is a shortage of vegetables.”
“The centers established by HAS are very innovative quipped hi-tech machinery in which we can dry our extra vegetables and fruits which can be used in winters,” he added.
He further said the department of tourism will extend its support to the aspirants of these units in promoting their product named after a famous Kashmir pandit poetess- Arnimal which depicts the rich communal harmony bond among the people of Kashmir.
Speaking on the occasion, Director Agriculture Mohammad Iqbal Chowdary said that such initiatives will really empower our women folk and department of agriculture have different schemes for such entrepreneurs.
“We have a tradition of sun drying vegetables which extends the shelf-life of vegetables and thus they can be stored for long periods. Until a few years back, one could notice garlands of dried vegetables hanging on the walls of houses across Kashmir which had some hygienic issues but now we can revive it latest technology,” he added.
Earlier, while welcoming the guests, Chairman Human Aid Society Kashmir Bashir Mir highlighted the importance of women empowerment and the significance of the SAFE project in present times.
“This endeavor will help our rural women to earn their livelihood besides vegetables cultivated with toil won’t get wasted as they will be dried in the units and sell in the markets to meet the consumers demand in both summers and winters,” he added.
Speakers including patron Human Aid Society and senior journalist Karamat Qayoom and General Secretary Human Aid Society Naseer Ahmad Rather addressed the gathering and urged the women aspirants to work for the economic development of the society.
Sarpanch Sadarbal Pattan Shahnawaz Ahmad, Deputy Director Tourism Dr. Ahsan-ul-haq Chishti, Chief Agriculture Officer Baramulla, Assistant Agriculture Officer Sopore and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
