SKUAST-K holds entrepreneurship awareness programme in Ganderbal

Ganderbal, Jan 10: A one-day Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP) titled “Livestock Waste Valorization: From Livestock By-products to Bio-Enterprises” was successfully conducted on Friday at Theeru in Ganderbal district, benefitting youth, women, farmers and unemployed individuals from the region.

The programme was organised by the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-Kashmir) under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Govt of India, in collaboration with the Animal Husbandry Department and the Sheep Husbandry Department.

The training programme aimed to create awareness about employment and self-employment opportunities in the livestock sector, with a special focus on the scientific utilisation of livestock by-products and waste for income generation. Participants were sensitised to the concept of “waste-to-wealth” through sustainable and biotechnology-based approaches.

Technical sessions were delivered by Dr Hina Fayaz Bhat, Senior Assistant Professor, Division of Animal Biotechnology, SKUAST-Kashmir, who highlighted the vast potential of livestock waste valorisation, including the biotechnological extraction of value-added products and enterprise development under MSME frameworks. Dr Rumase Ahmad Bhat and Dr Syed Shabir, both Veterinary Assistant Surgeons with the Animal Husbandry Department, addressed the participants on sustainable livestock practices, waste management and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Experts from the Sheep Husbandry Department, including Dr Yasmeena Nissar, also participated and shared field-based insights relevant to local livestock systems.