The Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal today inaugurated a day long workshop for “Organic Farming and its Marketing” at Agriculture Complex Lalmandi, here.The workshop was organized by Directorate of Agriculture Kashmir in collaboration with INVEST INDIA, National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency.After inaugurating the event, the Director while addressing the participants said that to preserve biodiversity, address the issue of ecological sensitivity in the region and to make the agriculture enterprise economically sustainable, the organic way of cultivation of vegetables and other crops would play a pivotal role.He said keeping in view the eco friendly and economically sustainable nature of organic farming we can preserve our land resources for generations to come.
Iqbal said that organic farming on one hand involves producing crops without using pesticides, chemical fertilizers, synthetic growth hormones and supporting the use of natural fertilizers like animal manure, green manure, legumes, compost, bio-fertilizers on the other hand nurtures food that grows naturally by little efforts.He said the sole purpose of organizing such programs was to address, focus, discuss and deliberate upon some of the surrounding core issues and understanding the need for a change in the agriculture ecosystem and reach to some of the logical conclusions which will pave way forward in diversifying from trivial cropping system to a sustainable cropping pattern.Some experts from the INVEST INDIA also expressed their views during the program. Speakers highlighted the importance of organic farming and other related issues including promotion of marketing, product enhancement support, boosting domestic trade, B2B procurement facilitation etc.Among others, the workshop was attended by Joint Director Agriculture Extension, Joint Director Agriculture Inputs, Joint Director Agriculture Marketing, Joint Director Apiculture and Mushrooms, Assistant Vice President INVEST INDIA, Project Coordinator INVEST INDIA.