In a significant step towards enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability in Jammu and Kashmir, Principal Secretary of the Agriculture Production Department, Shailendra Kumar, presided over a crucial meeting at the Civil Secretariat to deliberate on the annual plans for the Himalayan Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) projects and pilot projects spearheaded by the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) for the fiscal year 2024-25.
The meeting saw the convergence of key figures including the Mission Director of HADP, Yasha Mudgal, the Director of Finance for the Agriculture Production Department, along with the Directors of Agriculture from both Jammu and Kashmir. Notably, the session was attended by officials both in person and virtually, ensuring wide-ranging participation.
Kumar engaged in detailed discussions aimed at the standardization of sensor-based smart agriculture techniques, highlighting the dual goals of increasing profitability and reducing pesticide usage to foster a more sustainable agricultural production system. Further, the development of the Jammu & Kashmir Soil and Land Resources Information System (JKSLRI) was a topic of significant interest, poised to revolutionize the sector.
The Principal Secretary also took a closer look at innovative extension approaches designed to promote agriculture and support human resource development, critical for the technological advancement and sustainable transformation of agriculture in the region.
With a clear directive from Kumar, the focus was squarely on ensuring that the projects lead to tangible outcomes, specifically the seamless transfer of technology from laboratories to the fields. He instructed the Project Grounding and Monitoring Committee (PGMC) Chairmen to coordinate closely with the Mission Director of HADP in submitting action plans for the upcoming year.
The meeting also served as a platform for the Director of Agriculture in Kashmir and senior officers from SKUAST to outline the implementation strategies for the HADP projects, alongside discussing the physical and financial aspects of these initiatives, setting a proactive agenda for agricultural development in Jammu and Kashmir.