Efforts Hailed by Tribal Farmers
BANDIPORA: In a major step towards strengthening the agricultural landscape of Gurez Valley, a series of collaborative programmes were launched by Dryland Agriculture Research Station (DARS) in partnership with KVK/MAR&ES Gurez.
The initiative aims to enhance productivity, promote niche crops, and uplift tribal farmers through technological interventions and hands-on support.
The programmes were conducted across various pockets of the valley, including Koragbal, Naibasti (Bagtore), and the remote Angaikoot Tulail, drawing overwhelming participation from the local tribal farming community.
Providing an overview of the first event at Naibasti, Dr. Ajaz Ahmad Lone, Professor and PI AICRP on Pulses, highlighted that Rajmash holds immense potential as a major crop in Gurez. He stressed that adopting the package of practices developed by the institute would significantly boost both yield and quality.
Dr. Seerat-un-Nissa, Associate Professor, emphasized the importance of soil health and adherence to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for maximizing returns under Gurez’s unique agro-climatic conditions.
At Koragbal, the team underscored the role of fodder oats (Var. SFO-01) introduced under HADP:15 (Rainfed), as a sustainable solution to address fodder scarcity in the region.
Continuing their outreach, another programme was held at Angaikoot Tulail as part of the University’s flagship initiative for the conservation of local Gurezi sheep and improvement of fodder availability under HADP:01 (Seeds).
To support farm operations and reduce drudgery—particularly among farm women—various farm tools and prototypes were distributed among the beneficiaries.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Hilal Ahmad Malik, Head KVK/MAR&ES Gurez, expressed deep gratitude to Vice-Chancellor SKUAST-Kashmir, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, for his visionary leadership, and appreciated the continuous support from Director Extension, Prof. Raihana Habib Kanth, and Director Research, Prof. Haroon Rashid Naik.
Dr. Malik reaffirmed the commitment of KVK/MAR&ES to work on niche crops and organic cultivation models to enhance productivity and income of Gurezi farmers.
During the events, Dr. Jauhar Rafeeq, Dr. Shahida Altaf, and Dr. Touseef Ahmad also shared their insights for the benefit of the farming community.
The participating farmers hailed the initiative, expressing sincere gratitude to SKUAST-Kashmir for conducting such impact-driven programmes in one of the most far-flung tribal regions of the district.