SRINAGAR: Directorate of Extension, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), in collaboration with the HIL (India) Limited, organised an awareness programme on the Safe and Judicious use of pesticides and promotion of IPM practices today, at the Shalimar Convention Centre, SKUAST-Kashmir.
The programme witnessed enthusiastic participation from farmers, scientists, policymakers, and agricultural stakeholders.
Nivedita Shukla Verma, Secretary (Chemicals & Petrochemicals), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Government of India, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Besides, the event was attended by Maninder Kaur Dwivedi, Additional Secretary (Agriculture), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India; Prof. Raihana H. Kanth, Director, Directorate of Extension and Dean, Faculty of Horticulture, SKUAST-K; Deepankar Aron, Joint Secretary (Chemicals), DCPC; Kuldeep Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, HIL (India) Limited; Prof. Azmat Alam Khan, Registrar, SKUAST-K; Sartaj Ahmad Shah, Director Agriculture, Kashmir; Yashpal Ramdev, Technical Advisor, UNIDO India, and other senior officials.
The programme aimed to sensitise farmers about the judicious, safe, and responsible use of pesticides, with a focus on promoting sustainable, environmentally sound, and economically viable agricultural practices. A key highlight of the event was the launch of an IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Compendium for regional vegetable crops, which will serve as a valuable resource for farmers and extension workers.
The programme also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between HIL (India) Limited and SKUAST-K for the joint implementation of the FARM Project (Fostering Agrochemical Reduction and Management) in Kashmir.
Secretary (Chemicals), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Government of India, underscored the importance of safe and regulated pesticide use to ensure agricultural sustainability and food safety. She appreciated the collaborative efforts of HIL (India) Limited and SKUAST-K and emphasised farmer training, IPM adoption, and awareness as key to reducing pesticide misuse.
Director, Directorate of Extension and Dean, Faculty of Horticulture, SKUAST-K, highlighted the vision, mission, and farmer-centric objectives of SKUAST-K, emphasizing the university’s role in promoting sustainable and scientific agriculture through extension and capacity-building initiatives. She stressed the judicious and responsible use of agrochemicals and advocated Integrated Pest Management to protect soil health, the environment, and human health.
Director Agriculture, Kashmir, emphasized the need for crop-specific, judicious pesticide use and encouraged farmers to follow scientific advisories, adopt IPM practices, and utilize government schemes for improved farm productivity and environmental safety.
Registrar, SKUAST-K, reiterated the University’s commitment to strengthening research, extension linkages and fostering meaningful collaborations aimed at farmer empowerment and sustainable agricultural development. He further emphasized that the University has undertaken several projects under the HADP focused on the judicious use of agrochemicals, integrated pest management, and the development of eco-friendly alternative solutions for effective pest control.
Technical sessions were conducted by subject-matter experts on important themes including safe and judicious use of pesticides, soil health and its significance, IPM practices for vegetable crops, crop-specific pest identification and management, and Government financial schemes supporting farmers. The interactive sessions enabled farmers to gain practical knowledge and clarify field-level challenges.
Approximately 500 farmers from different districts of Kashmir participated in the programme, reflecting the strong outreach and relevance of the initiative.
