Ganderbal, Sep 19: Tribal farmers from three settlements in the Surfraw area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district were encouraged to make greater use of scientific farming practices, horticulture technologies and government schemes during a programme aimed at extending agricultural support to farming families in the area.
The programme brought together tribal farming families, officials from the agriculture and development departments, representatives of SKUAST-K and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Ganderbal, besides senior university officials and local representatives.
Around 200 tribal families were provided agricultural and horticultural material under the initiative, with organisers saying the effort was aimed at ensuring that farming support reaches families who often remain outside the coverage of such programmes.
MLA Kangan Mian Mehar Ali, who attended the programme while speaking to reporters called for similar initiatives to be organised in Kangan in the future with participation from both tribal and non-tribal communities.
He said the area had considerable potential because of the availability of land and water resources, which, if properly utilised with modern techniques, could provide greater opportunities for local farmers.
He said agriculture and horticulture practices had become increasingly technology-driven in recent years and farmers should take advantage of the scientific support available through the university and its extension network.
The MLA also urged farmers who face difficulties in reaching the university or related institutions to approach him for assistance so that they could access available facilities and expertise.
Prof Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director General, Agricultural Extension, ICAR, New Delhi, said interaction with tribal farmers was important for understanding their requirements and extending appropriate technologies to them.
He said the agricultural and horticultural sector would require greater adoption of scientific approaches in the coming years and noted the role of the university and its extension services in supporting farmers.
Singh said the material distributed to the tribal families under the project was intended to support their farming activities and help improve their access to agricultural inputs and technologies.
SKUAST-K Vice-Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai says various government initiatives available to the farming community, including the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) and Jammu and Kashmir Comprehensive Investment Plan (JKCIP).
He said farmers and tribal communities could benefit from several schemes being implemented under these programmes and urged them to remain connected with university experts and development department officials.
District president of the Gujjar Bakerwal Conference Choudhary Bashir Ahmad Tedwa said the programme was organised with the specific objective of extending support to three tribal settlements in the Surfraw area.
He said the initiative had been in the works for around four months and involved coordination with KVK Ganderbal, with around 200 tribal families identified for assistance.
GH Mustafa Bijard, who was associated with the initiative, said the process had started in April when a list of around 200 tribal families was submitted to Dr Ajaz, head of KVK Ganderbal.
He said cooperation from the MLA and university authorities helped take the initiative forward, resulting in the distribution of agricultural kits to the identified families.
Bijard said a proposal had also been made to identify around 150 non-tribal families for similar assistance.
The organisers said the programme was aimed not only at distributing material but also at creating direct links between farmers and agricultural institutions so that beneficiaries could continue receiving technical guidance, information about schemes and support for improving farm productivity.
