As part of ongoing SEWA PARW, SKUAST-K’s Division of Livestock Production and Management (LPM), organized a Chick Distribution Program at its Faculty of Veterinary Sciences Shuhama campus today.

Around 40 tribal beneficiaries from the Ganderbal belt, particularly from Dignibal and Allusteng areas, received backyard poultry units consisting of 4-week-old improved Gramapriya chicks along with poultry feed, aimed at strengthening livelihood opportunities and nutritional security. The program was a part of Tribal Sub-plan component of ICAR funded All India Cordinated Project on Poultry Breeding.

The event was graced by Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K, Prof. Haroon Rashid Naik, Director Research SKUAST-K, and Prof. Azmat Alam Khan, Registrar SKUAST-K and Principal Investigator, AICRP on Poultry Breeding.

Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K, emphasized the role of backyard poultry in ensuring nutritional security and income generation for rural and tribal households. He encouraged farmers, particularly women, to explore value addition in poultry products such as organic and free-range eggs, which have a growing demand in urban markets.

Prof. Haroon Rashid Naik (Director Research) urged the beneficiaries to rear the birds with scientific care and assured them of continuous technical guidance from experts at the Division of LPM. He stressed that community-level adoption of backyard poultry can significantly contribute to rural upliftment and food security.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Azmat Alam Khan, Principal Investigator of the project, outlined the ongoing research and developmental activities under AICRP, HADP, and DST-funded projects aimed at strengthening the poultry sector in Kashmir. He assured that the Division will provide continuous technical and field support to tribal farmers under the DAPST framework of AICRP, reaffirming SKUAST-K’s commitment to promoting sustainable and farmer-centric poultry production models.