𝐕𝐢𝐤𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐊𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐥𝐩 𝐀𝐛𝐡𝐢𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐉&𝐊

Srinagar, May 29 – A major step towards modernizing agriculture in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh was taken with the launch of the nationwide ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’ at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) on Thursday. The event was held at the university’s Convention Centre, Shalimar campus, and attended by key dignitaries including J&K Agriculture Minister Javid Ahmad Dar, who served as the chief guest.

Also present were DDC Srinagar Chairperson Aftab Malik, Hazratbal MLA Salman Sagar, Principal Secretary of the Agriculture Production Department Shailendra Kumar, SKUAST-K Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, and Director Extension Prof Raihana Habib Kanth. Officers from the agriculture departments and farmers from Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Budgam were also in attendance.

In his keynote address, Minister Dar praised the region’s two agricultural universities for their innovation, research, and outreach efforts. He highlighted government programmes such as HADP and JKCIP as game changers for local agriculture. He also spoke about new measures including the import of Taxel sheep from Australia, forming multi-purpose cooperatives, and regulating agrochemical markets to address key issues like the meat production gap and safe farming practices.

Shailendra Kumar, Principal Secretary, acknowledged the scientists’ contributions to policy and presented updates on achievements in pesticide reduction, cropping intensity, milk production, funding support, digital agriculture, and cold storage development. His focus, he said, is on making agriculture in J&K more competitive and farmer-centric.

Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ganai, also the Nodal Officer for the campaign in J&K, discussed the action plan for the Abhiyan. Around 900 teams made up of scientists and field experts will cover 20 districts in J&K and Ladakh. He also spoke about the university’s farmer-focused initiatives, such as potato cultivation in Gurez.

DDC Chairperson Aftab Malik and MLA Salman Sagar reiterated their support for advancing the region’s agriculture in line with the national goals of the campaign.

The programme began with a welcome address by Prof Raihana Habib Kanth and concluded with a vote of thanks from Director Research Prof Haroon R. Naik. A special highlight was the release of publications including Shalimar AgriTalk (Gon’gul Special) and From Policy to People, along with the distribution of agricultural toolkits to Scheduled Tribe farmers.

The J&K launch is part of a wider national campaign spearheaded by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan under the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan initiative.