Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Wednesday said that the government was to empower the farmers of Jammu and Kashmir.
An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that launching three significant initiatives, ‘Kisan Sampark Abhiyan’, Daksh Kisan (Skilling of farmers), and Kisan Sathi (IT Dashboard for digitisation of services for farmers) for effective and efficient implementation of projects under Holistic Development of Agriculture and Allied Sectors, the LG said that the 4-month long ‘Kisan Sampark Abhiyan’ with help of PRIs focusing on farmers’ orientation and skilling courses for all interventions would ensure that the meticulous plan reaches the fields and prepare farmers to meet new challenges, explore new possibilities and make the farming accessible and profitable.
He said 10,695 training sessions between April to August 2023 in all 20 districts would bring together the entire farming community and the collective resolve would not only make the scheme an unprecedented success but also provide a new direction to young farmers.
“Holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors have three important dimensions, economic development, social inclusion, and environmental protection and this campaign would pay special attention to these for the progress and lasting prosperity of the farmers,” the LG said.
Earlier, J&K-level training and orientation programme of officers for effective implementation of 29 projects under holistic agriculture development plan was conducted during Phase-I.
The LG reiterated the J&K government’s commitment to empower the farmers of J&K and provide them easy access to productive resources, financial, technical support, and extension services.
“Empowering smallholder farmers is our top priority. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, various steps have been taken to strengthen rural infrastructure and to increase productivity and diversification to higher value crops,” he said.
The LG called upon all the stakeholders to come together to ensure effective implementation of the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan.
He said that the collaborative efforts of J&K administration, PRIs, progressive farmers, cooperative societies, Self-Help Groups, FPOs, and other stakeholders would be the central pillar of the efforts to realise the goal of Atma Nirbhar J&K in the agriculture sector.
The LG asked the banking institutions and government departments to bridge the gap in financial assistance to the farmers.
He also highlighted the efforts to attract investment in agriculture, developing a rural-urban market network, and enabling small farmers to play a big role in the value chain.
“Keeping in view the agro-climatic condition, we have mapped such areas where there is no irrigation facility but there is a possibility of growing millet crops, which can ensure good price to the farmers for their produce. This will also contribute to the millet revolution in J&K,” the LG said.
Members of Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma and Gulam Ali Khatana, and District Development Council (DDC) Chairperson Jammu Bharat Bhushan also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the growth recorded in J&K in agriculture and allied sectors in the past few years.
J&K Bank Kisan Cards were distributed among the beneficiary farmers on the occasion.
Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta, Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture Production Department Atal Dulloo, Vice Chancellor Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K) Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, PRI members, senior officials and farmers in large numbers were also present on the occasion.