LG hails SKUAST-K for J&K’s agri growth

Jammu, Jan 28: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Sunday hailed the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kashmir (SKUAST-K) for the agricultural growth of Jammu and Kashmir.

Chairing the 34th University Council Meeting of SKUAST-K at Raj Bhawan in Jammu, the LG commended the significant contribution of SKUAST-K in the extraordinary growth journey of the agriculture and allied sector in J&K.

He said that the innovation-led initiatives and holistic approach of agricultural universities were contributing to knowledge-based, technology-driven, and sustainable agri-economy.

Sinha emphasised taking the research and innovation from the lab to the field to increase farmers’ productivity.

He instructed for short skill training courses for the students and to conduct a detailed study on yield gaps.

The meeting discussed the comprehensive future roadmap for developing SKUAST-K as the leading institution for agricultural education, innovations, entrepreneurship, leadership and research, and making SKUAST-K home to several centres of excellence in agriculture and allied sectors.

The meeting also deliberated on the reforms to promote start-ups and entrepreneurship, opening up new frontier areas to drive smart and intelligent farming practices, besides resetting of goals and mandates of the university in tune with the national goals and priorities.

The council gave in-principle approval to various agenda points presented during the meeting including the setting up of the Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Agriculture (CAIML); SKUAST-K Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (SKIIE) Centre and the establishment of Division of Agro-Meteorology at FOH, Shalimar.

Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K Prof Nazir A Ganai presented the progress report of the university.

The latest edition of Agri Rise, an agricultural education digest on agri-entrepreneurship was also released on the occasion. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; Principal Secretary, Finance Department, Santosh D Vaidya; former CEO NRAA, Ashok Dalwai; Deputy Director General, ICAR, Prof R C Agrawal; Principal Secretary to LG, Mandeep Kumar Bhandari; Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai; Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Jammu, B N Tripathi; and Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department Muhammad Aijaz also attended the meeting.