Principal Secretary, Animal, Sheep Husbandry & Fisheries Department, Navin Kumar Choudhary chaired One Day Farmers’ Workshop organised by the Animal & Sheep Husbandry Department at Kisan Bhawan here today. Vice Chancellor SKUAST Jammu, Prof. JP Sharma was also present on the occasion.The workshop was organised with an aim to introduce farmers and aspiring entrepreneurs with various schemes, subsidies and initiatives of the department.Technical sessions and lectures by successful progressive farmers were also held during the workshop.Speaking at the event, Navin Choudhary hailed the enthusiasm shown by progressive farmers and budding entrepreneurs who have benefitted from the department’s schemes. He urged the officers to stay in touch with the public and said that success is achieved through on-ground work only. ‘It is high time that significant change is brought into farmers lives and they are transformed into successful agri-entrepreneurs’, he said.Counting major achievements of the department, the Principal Secretary said that in the past couple of years, department has launched numerous initiatives, which include provision of 50 percent subsidy for establishing cattle feed processing unit, insurance in poultry sector etc.Taking cognisance of the need to procure better and more effective veterinary medicines, the Principal Secretary sought a detailed SOP from the department to help ensure that only the best medicines are procured. He directed that stringent sample testing of every batch of medicines procured and effective implementation of the SOP be done.
To address the demand for a market place for cattle and livestock, the Principal Secretary said that Mega Cattle Mela is going to be organised at Nagri, Kathua on March 24, this month. Buyers and sellers from Jammu Kashmir as well as other states are expected to participate in the fair. He also directed Director Animal Husbandry to organise such fairs in every district on rotation basis.Regarding the issue of closure of Wool Board, Navin Choudhary said that the job of procurement and sale of wool is going to be taken up by JK Industries.The Principal Secretary said J&K meets much of its demand of meat, milk, poultry, cattle feed etc through imports from neighbouring states and that he aims to make J&K self sufficient in all these sectors thereby generating employment and saving thousands of crores of rupees.In his address, VC SKUAST appreciated the reforms brought in by Principal Secretary Navin Choudhary throughout J&K. He urged the farmers to better their approach towards agricultural production and said that they need to opt for value addition to their products through food processing, branding and marketing. ‘We have to improve our vision from ‘production’ to ‘profitability’’, he said.The VC also called for reforms in school syllabii to produce ‘job creators’ instead of ‘job seekers’.The guests later released Compendium of Scientific Papers compiled by the Animal & Sheep Husbandry Department in English, Hindi and Urdu. A booklet detailing all the schemes of the department was also released on the occasion.Various progressive farmers from all over the Union Territory also spoke on the occasion and shared their experience with others. They also presented their suggestions and the issues being faced by their community.Dr Umesh presented a talk on ethno-veterinary medicines to help farmers treat their cattle and livestock with traditional home remedies during emergency and routine illnesses.Director Animal Husbandry, Director Sheep Husbandry, Director Agriculture, Director Floriculture, Director Sericulture, MD Agro and staff of allied departments was also present on the occasion.