SRINAGAR: A Farmer Skill Training (FST) programme was today inaugurated by Director Sericulture J&K, Ajaz Ahamd Bhat in the presence of Dr. N.K.Bhatia, Director Central Sericulture Research & Training Institute, CSB, Pampore, Dr Rajesh Kumar Scientist –D & other faculty members of CSB at Manasbal.
The training is being organized by the Central Silk Board at their P4 Basic Seed Farm in association with the Sericulture Development Department.
More than 50 farmers of the District Ganderbal and Bandipora are participating in the said training.
Addressing the gathering, the Director of Sericulture highlighted the need for regular skill up-gradation of rearers to take advantage of the latest technologies at the grassroots level to boost their confidence to increase the quality of Cocoon and its productivity at an optimum level.
He also added in his address that concerted efforts are being made to give impetus to the sericulture and skill up-gradations as part of the Silkworm Rearers’ capacity-building programme. He informed that SKUAST and other Institutes are also being approached for organizing sericulture training programmes of the industry for Silkworm Rearers.
Bhat said that the Sericulture department is focusing on addressing critical areas for the promotion of the Jammu & Kashmir Silk Industry and there is a need to train the stakeholders in this direction fully.
He also laid stress on resource utilization and identifying the problems at ground level and called the farmers to fully interact with the Scientists during this training programme.
During the day-long tour, the Director also visited the Departmental Nurseries and farms in the District and enquired about the status of cocoon production and took stock vis-a-vis the supply of Mulberry saplings to the farmers in the District for quality Cocoon production.
He informed that at the time of any difficulty faced by the silkworm rearers, they can directly approach the District officers and Tehsil level officers. They can also visit technical sections of the Directorate both at Jammu (Mob. 9419518139) and Srinagar (Mob. 9419004960) for any assistance related to Sericulture.
On this occasion, a mulberry sapling of improved mulberry variety was planted by the Director of the CSB Institute.
