Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan, on Sunday inaugurated two day long 7th Technology Exhibition cum Seed Sale Mela here at Shalimar campus of the SKUAST-K.
The theme of this year’s mela is “Organic Farming – A way forward towards sustainable agriculture in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh”.
While speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the mela, Advisor Khan observed that such exhibitions play an important role in offering an exceptional opportunity to farmers to access reliable, updated and relevant information on agricultural practices also help in reducing farmers’ risk and uncertainty. He said that such exhibitions should be held in near future in North and South Kashmir areas for the welfare of the farming community.
The Advisor further said that farming is taken upon by the young generation of educated people who are deriving maximum benefits out of the technological interventions and becoming job providers.
Advisor Khan also praised the efforts of the University for farmer friendly activities and said that the footfall of the people on the first day of the mela shows the bonding between SKUAST and farming community. He also said that produce of Kashmir is exclusive and we need to make it more beneficial for the farmers.
The Advisor on the occasion also interacted with the progressive farmers during the inspection of the stalls and said that farmers from Kashmir have ability to compete anywhere in the world and will generate better results that any other farmer. Mohammad Ramzan Bhat, a B Tech graduate, while interacting with the Advisor, said that he has taken farming as his occupation and is doing well due to the support provided from various government schemes.
The Advisor inspected around 200 stalls showcasing a variety of products and technologies developed in the field of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Agro-Forestry, Agri-Engineering, and other related fields.
He also took stock of the stalls displaying and highlighting various farmers’ welfare schemes and programs, besides agriculture farm machinery, and organic product.
Later, the Advisor also awarded registration certificates to SKUAST mentored Farmer Producer Organisations. On the occasion student and faculty innovators were also awarded.
Importantly, this Mela bought together all farmers, including those from Ladakh’s UT, orchardists, mushroom growers, vegetable growers, floriculturists, livestock rearers, poultry farmers, aquaculturists, sericulturists, input dealers, various MNCs, farm machinery representatives, and members of the Jammu and Kashmir Kissan Board. The Mela also attracted thousands of people, with the active involvement of all faculties, colleges, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, research institutions, and constituent units of the University in Kashmir and Ladakh.
Among others who attended the mela include Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Nazir Ahmad Ganai; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, P K Pole; Director SKIMS, Parvaiz Ahmad Koul; Director General Horticulture, Ajaz Ahmad Bhat; Director Agriculture Kashmir Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal and other senior officers.
