Srinagar: The ICAR- CITH Krishi Vigyan Kendra Baramulla organized a one-day awareness cum farmer-scientist interaction programme on ‘Increasing farmer’s Income’ through crop diversification and modern agricultural technologies at Govt. Degree College Tangmarg.
The Programme had about 60 Progressive Farmers, farm women, rural youths and agri-entrepreneurs from different parts of the district.
Dr Zabeer Ahmad, Director, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu was Chief Guest on the occasion. He urged farmers to adopt non-traditional higher-value crops and modern agricultural technologies to enhance their income.
Dr Ahmed spoke about the cultivation of various medicinal and aromatic crops such as intercropping in orchards, non-cultivated land and farm boundaries for additional sources of income. And shared success stories of income enhancement by lavender cultivation in maize growing areas of the J&K. He also described in detail about medicinal and economic value of various medicinal-aromatic crops. The chief guest later distributed an improved variety seed of mustard to the participating farmers.
Earlier, Dr. Manoj Kumar, Principal Scientist and Head, KVK, Baramulla welcomed the dignitaries and participants and apprised the farmers regarding the objective of conducting this Programme. He gave a method demonstration on the use of maize Sheller for drudgery reduction and spoke about the importance of convergence between KVK and IIIM for the welfare of the farming community.
Sansar Ahmed, Deputy Director, National Horticulture Board, Jammu and Kashmir, explained various schemes started by the National Horticulture Board for the benefit of farmers and the subsidy component under these schemes.
Gulam Nabi Katariya, District Manager J&K SC/ST/BC development corporation Baramulla also interacted with participants and explained various schemes of his department for the welfare of persons belonging to schedule caste, schedule tribe, backward class and differently abled communities.
KVK expert Dr. Shoaib Nissar Kirmani delivered a lecture on the training & pruning of apple orchards and the establishment of a horticultural nursery. And Karan Chhabra also delivered a lecture on the importance of weather forecast-based agro-advisory services being issued by KVK to the farmers.
In a separate session, the participants interacted with experts regarding their queries. The programme ended with a vote of thanks from Dr Mohammad Arif Wagay Assistant Professor, Govt. Degree College Tangmarg.
