SKUAST-K organizes one day awareness on organic saffron kitchen gardens

Srinagar : Division of Plant Biotechnology, SKUAST-K in collaboration with Women Empowerment Cell, Directorate of Extension, SKUAST-K conducted a One-day awareness camp for introducing the concept of ‘Organic Saffron Kitchen Gardens’ among women.
The camp was organized under the aegis of NMHS, Govt. of India sponsored project “A Value Chain of Saffron in New Areas of NW Himalayas by Engaging Youth and Women for Strengthening a Bio-based Green Economy” which aims at engaging youth and women to promote saffron cultivation in non-traditional areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Among others, the camp was attended by fifty women participants from districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal of central Kashmir. Free kits comprising of saffron corms, vermicompost, etc. were distributed among the women participants. Director Extension, SKUAST-K, Prof. Mushtaq Ahmad applauded the participants for their interest and participation, while educating them about the importance of the cultivation of saffron spice in kitchen gardens, and the tradition of using saffron in home-made beverages like Kehwa.
Prof FA Nehvi Head, Division of Plant Biotechnology shared his valuable inputs on the medicinal value of this crop and his experience of growing saffron in non-traditional areas. There was an interactive session where various queries raised by the participants were answered by Dr Amjad M Husaini, Principal Investigator of the project.