Srinagar, July 18: To modernise local agriculture and bridge the gap between academic research and grassroots farming, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir launched an extensive farmer outreach and interaction programme across the Srinagar and Anantnag districts.
Led by Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Gani, the initiative brought a team of scientists straight into the fields to promote scientific vegetable farming, evaluate current cultivation practices, and directly address the emerging production challenges faced by local growers.
A major highlight of the tour was visit to Wantrag village in the Anantnag district, an area widely renowned for its intensive watermelon and muskmelon cultivation. While inspecting the thriving fields, Prof Gani commended the local growers for their sophisticated approach, describing Wantrag as an exemplary model of scientific and profitable vegetable production. The Vice Chancellor stressed that this high-yield, intensive farming model should be replicated across other districts of the Kashmir valley to drive up regional farm incomes and encourage the wider adoption of advanced agriculture practices.
During the field inspections, university experts from the Division of Vegetable Science, including the Head of the Division Dr Ishfaq Abidi, Prof Faheema Mushtaq, Dr Asima Amin, and other accompanying scientists, engaged in detailed discussions with local growers. The university team focused heavily on technology-driven interventions designed to boost fruit quality and farm profitability. They evaluated and advised on the implementation of hi-tech poly-house cultivation, precision nutrient and irrigation management via micro-irrigation systems, and Integrated Disease and Pest Management protocols. The scientists also emphasized resource conservation methods like mulching practices for moisture retention and weed control, alongside quality seed production.
Beyond field cultivation, the visiting team placed significant emphasis on the commercial aspect of farming, urging growers to adopt modern post-harvest handling and professional sorting and grading practices to ensure better market connectivity and price realisation. Addressing the farmers, Prof Gani reiterated SKUAST-K’s core mission to foster an farmer-scientist linkage, promising that regular field visits, frontline demonstrations, and continuous technology dissemination would remain a priority.
The outreach initiative was welcomed by the farming community, who expressed gratitude to the university for bringing sceintists directly to their doorsteps and reaffirmed their eagerness to adopt the university's improved tech-driven farming methods.
