Scab-Resistant Future: Hamayun Shabir’s vision for revitalising Kashmir’s orchards

Ganderbal, Apr 15: Hamayun Shabir’s journey exemplifies the perfect blend of local passion and global expertise. In a groundbreaking achievement for Kashmir’s horticulture sector, Shabir has recently unveiled a state-of-the-art Model Orchard in Zazuna area of Ganderbal district under his visionary initiative, Kashmir Agriventures.

What sets this young pioneer apart is not just his deep-rooted connection to Kashmir’s soil but his extraordinary academic trajectory that has positioned him at the cutting edge of global agricultural innovation.

After excelling in his Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from SKUAST-Kashmir, Shabir boldly pursued international excellence, securing a place in Italy’s premier university for Agricultural Sciences where he is completing his International Master’s in Horticultural Sciences.

Humayun Shabir began his journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from SKUAST-Kashmir, and is currently pursuing an International Master’s in Horticultural Sciences from Italy’s top university in Agricultural Sciences. As part of this programme, he will soon join the prestigious University of California, Davis to complete his Master’s thesis on biostimulants - an emerging and futuristic approach to sustainable crop health and productivity.

“This model orchard is just the beginning. Kashmir Agriventures is here to bridge the gap between world-class innovation and local potential,” said Humayun. “By combining Italian precision, American research, and Kashmiri passion, we’re creating a blueprint for the future of horticulture in the Region.”

His international journey also includes a one-year internship with Mazzoni Group in Italy, one of Europe’s leading agricultural companies. This experience helped him witness firsthand the impact of innovation in orchard management and nursery practices - motivating him to launch Kashmir Agriventures to bring these global standards home.

The highlight of the event was the introduction of the Bibaum Plantation System to Kashmir, a patented dual-leader tree training technique developed by Mazzoni. This is the first time the system is being implemented in Kashmir.

“Bibaum allows the production of narrow fruit tree orchards with apple, pears and cherries. This helps growers in terms of management easiness and increases productivity, giving the possibility to mechanize some activities like pruning and thinning,” Humayun said.

“In this model orchard we introduce new varieties of apple that came from the CIV Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti (where Mazzoni is one of the founders) breeding programme. Some of those could be a game changer due to their genetic resistance to scab, as well we are also planting two varieties of cherry on a BIBAUM training system that could be a revival for the cherry industry of district Ganderbal,” he added.

Alongside orchard innovations, Kashmir Agriventures has partnered with Mitogrow, a US-agricultural biotech company, to introduce a patented Biostimulant to the Indian subcontinent. “This product enhances root development, nutrient uptake, and plant resilience — crucial for sustainable farming in Kashmir’s diverse climatic conditions,” Humayun explained. He said the company has strategic pilot locations across Kashmir, and following successful trials, the biostimulant will be made commercially available to local growers.

Joining Hamayun is his close friend and academic peer, Giuseppe Rizzello - an Italian horticulturist who will collaborate with Kashmir Agriventures. His focus will be more towards plant nutrition, optimizing inputs, and advancing evidence-based growing practices that support long-term productivity and sustainability.

“Kashmir is a new reality with strong roots in the Kashmir area & the goals will be to develop the standards of production for fruit culture. We are working in developing projects in Kashmir Valley,” Rizzello noted, discussing their plans.

As Hamayun continues his global academic and research journey, his mission is clear: to return with solutions, not just knowledge, and to transform Kashmir into a hub of sustainable, smart, and globally connected horticulture.