Agriculture Deptt launches major tech push for farmers

Srinagar, Feb 25:An extensive campaign to connect farmers across Kashmir with the latest agricultural technologies was announced by Chowdhury Muhammad Iqbal, Director of Agriculture for Kashmir.

Chowdhury outlined plans to visit rural farming communities across all districts to demonstrate cutting-edge advancements that can assist crop cultivation and efficiency. "We need to bring these modern innovations right to the farms and orchards so farmers can understand the tremendous potential," he urged.

Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhury Mohammad Iqbal today conducted an extensive tour of Bandipora, Ganderbal and Srinagar districts.

During the tour, he convened three separate review meetings of Chief Agriculture Officers, district agriculture officers, sub-divisional officers, zonal officers Bandipora, Ganderbal and Srinagar and took stock of the progress under HADP projects, regular CAPEX and CSS's, scope of convergence between MGNREGA and HADP and issues related to procurement of Seed under SVP, organic farming, Natural farming, PMKISAN, PMFBY and Soil Health Card schemes in Bandipora, Ganderbal and Srinagar.

The meetings discussed in detail different centrally sponsored schemes being implemented by the department including RKVY, MIDH, ATMA, NFSM, PM KISAN, Soil Health Card Scheme, KCC Scheme etc. The implementation of projects under the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP) was especially discussed threadbare. The Director highlighted the importance of projects under HADP.

Addressing the meetings, Director Agriculture underlined the importance of expeditious and judicious expenditure of funds under different centrally sponsored schemes, projects under HADP and CAPEX. He asked the officers that funds allocated under different components of centrally sponsored schemes must be expended in a time-bound manner. He reiterated the importance of maintaining the highest level of transparency and accountability during all expenditures.

The Director asked the concerned officers to work in close coordination with concerned district administrations while implementing different initiatives at the district level. He also directed them to reach out to the farmers of every area and make them aware of the latest farmer-friendly technologies in the agriculture sector.

He asked the officers to collaborate with local community representatives to successfully implement different schemes at the grassroots level.

He also impressed the officers to sensitize and encourage the farmers to avail benefits of various projects under HADP. He asked them to put in all the efforts and ensure that all the set targets under different projects of HADP are achieved in a time-bound manner.

Later, the Director kick-started the distribution of quality vegetable seedlings among the farmers at SM Farm Sumbal. He also visited different sections of RAKHS at Baniyar Sumbal and held interacted with the concerned officers.

Director also inaugurated a millet restaurant at Theed Harwan.

The Chief Agriculture officers of concerned districts, district agriculture officers, and sub-divisional and zonal officers of the department were present in the meetings.