Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kulgam, Shahzad Alam, today flagged off a batch of 30 farmers for an exposure visit under the Promotion of Floriculture component of the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) 2026-27 from Mini Secretariat Kulgam.
The three-day capacity-building programme aims to provide participants with practical exposure to modern floriculture practices and successful enterprise models. During the visit, the farmers will tour the Floriculture Development Office, Lalmandi Srinagar, and SKUAST-K.
They will also visit private floriculture nurseries in Kulgam and Anantnag, the Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Farm at Verinag, and the Lavender Farm at Sirhama. In a parallel initiative under the Promotion of Apiculture component of HADP, another batch of 30 farmers will visit the Division of Entomology, Pollination Centre, SKUAST-K, to gain technical know-how on advanced beekeeping practices, including queen rearing, bee breeding, and nucleus stock management.
The exposure visits are aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of farmers and unemployed youth, encouraging them to adopt innovative agricultural practices and avail benefits under various government schemes, including HADP, JKCIP, CSS, and UT Capex, thereby creating sustainable livelihood and employment opportunities in the district.