Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Ahmad Khan, today exhorted upon agriculture universities to focus on imparting practical knowledge among students so that they could connect themselves with various aspects of agriculture and develop themselves as ‘Job Providers’ rather than ‘Job Seekers’.

Advisor was speaking as a chief guest at the valedictory function of ‘Innovative Farmers’ conference which was organized during ongoing 5-day Northern India Regional Agriculture Fair 2021 here at SKUAST Jammu.

“There is great need to involve UG and PG students in entrepreneurship development programs as their expertise and potential can do wonders in transforming the business world in the field of agriculture”, Advisor maintained.

Advisor said that farmers of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh would be benefitted immensely from this Innovative Farmers Conference wherein Padma Shree awardee farmers and National awardee farmers interacted with them and shared experiences of their success in agriculture and allied enterprises. He appreciated Professor J P Sharma, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST- Jammu, for bringing remarkable progress and development in the working culture of the university.

Meanwhile, Advisor also inaugurated a fruit, vegetable and flowers show and inspected exhibitions and stalls demonstrated by the university, line departments, farmers and start-ups.  He also visited technology park, Research Farm Chatha, mushroom centre, api-culture centre and interacted with UG and PG students of SKUAST-Jammu.

During his visit to the Fisheries unit, Advisor advised the participants to focus on promotion of snow trout and Mahseer species of fishes in Jammu region.

Farooq Khan also e-inaugurated the Faculty Club of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry.

On the occasion, an Agreement was also made between Bhopinder Singh an entrepreneur of Rajouri district and SKUAST-Jammu on commercialization of Condensed Tannins Enriched Multi – Nutrient Block Technology (MNB-CT). 

Padma Shree awardees Bharat Bhushan Tyagi and Hukum Chand Patidar and awarded farmer, Lieutenant Colonel Subhash Chander Deshwal also spoke on the occasion and shared their journey of success.

Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Jammu thanked the Advisor for his valuable suggestions and timely guidance which encourages the university to touch new highs. He also appreciated Director Agriculture, Director Horticulture and other allied departments for their active participation in Agriculture Fair and Farmers’ Innovative Conference. He lauded all the Padma Shree and National awardee farmers for sharing their valuable experiences with the participating farmers.

Pertinently, the fruit, vegetable and flower show exhibited 131 samples under fresh fruits comprising apple, pear, citrus, dragon fruit, quince, aonla, guava, kiwi and 100 samples of dry fruits comprising walnut, pecan nut, almond, chestnut. KVKs from SKUAST- Kashmir namely Anantnag, Kargil-II, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama and division of Fruit Science, Shalimar besides farmers from all districts of Jammu division participated in the fruit show.

Similarly, flower show had 150 exhibits in 8 categories namely, pot plants greens, cacti, bonsai, cut flowers, flower arrangement, dry flowers. In vegetable show, 75 samples in 6 categories namely cole crops, root crops, tubers, onion- garlic, dehydrated vegetables from Kargil, Leh, Rajouri, Poonch. Processed products of fruits and vegetables were also exhibited by the department of FST, SKUAST- Jammu and Kashmir besides Department of Horticulture, Jammu.

Director Agriculture, K. K. Sharma; Director Horticulture, Ram Sewak; Statutory officers of university, HoDs of various departments; faculty members, students of SKUAST-J besides scores of farmers were present on the occasion.