Boosting Food Security: VC SKUAST-K advocates rice-wheat rotation

Srinagar, June 12: SKUAST-K's Faculty of Agriculture celebrated the Wheat Field Day on Wednesday, with Prof Nazir A. Ganai, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-Kashmir, as the chief guest.

The event was also attended by Prof. Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi, Director Extension, and Prof. Haroon Rashid Naik, Director Research. The Dean of FoA welcomed the guests and briefed them about the wheat program at the Faculty of Agriculture.

Alongside faculty members, a large number of farmers attended the event, organized to showcase early maturing wheat varieties. In his address, the  Vice Chancellor congratulated the Division of Plant Breeding for breeding early wheat varieties that can be harvested in the last week of May. He exhorted farmers to be a part of the university's effort to popularize rice-wheat rotation for augmenting food production and increasing cropping intensity in the Kashmir valley. Prof. Ganai assured farmers of all possible support, including seed availability and technology support for increasing farm output.

He highlighted the role of the University and Faculty of Agriculture in helping farmers of the region achieve food and nutritional security and secure increasing returns. Prof. Ganai had a detailed visit to the wheat nursery and complimented the breeders for maintaining the vast diversity of wheat germplasm, including wild relatives and novel trait sources.

Several wheat and barley products were also showcased at the event, attracting widespread attention from farmers.