Reasi: Department of Agriculture and Krishi Vigyan Kendra(KVK), Reasi – Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Jammu (SKUAST-J) Friday organised training programme on “Agri-entrepreneurship development in rural areas” here at village Bakkal.
The camp organised under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture(NMSA) scheme, enthused huge participation of farmers of Bakkal and Bomag areas. The experts delivered valuable lectures to educate the farmers on various technical aspects of farming and cultivation.
Sub-Division Agriculture Officer Reasi Mohan Lal gave detailed information about agri-entrepreneurship. He urged the farmers switch over to commercial agriculture from subsistence agriculture. He said farmers should take the opportunities to become the agri-entrepreneurs and by doing so they can increase their income and employment. He informed the farmers that they can grow cereals, pulses, oilseeds, marigold, mushroom and go for beekeeping, aromatic and medicinal plants cultivation at commercial level.
Scientist and Head of KVK, Dr.Banarsi Lal, gave description of principles of agri-entrepreneurship. He said by commercial agriculture farmers can raise their socio-economic status. He further added that hilly areas have immense scope for organic vegetable cultivation. He informed the farmers that organic vegetable cultivation has enormous scope in the area and farmers can fetch more prices for that. He highlighted the eco-friendly agricultural technologies for the organic farming.
The resource persons also recommended certain biofungicides and biopesticides for the management of insect-pests and diseases in the organic crops.
They encouraged farmers for forming ‘Self Help Groups’ (SHGs) to start the agri-entrepreneurship and avail micro-finance from the commercial banks.
The farmers were also guided on the scientific cultivation of Rabi crops and seed treatment in Rabi crops, techniques for floriculture specially marigold cultivation, medicinal and aromatic plants, beekeeping, dairy farming, food processing, vegetable and fruit processing etc.