Fact of the matter is that the topographical peculiarities make agriculture and farming systems complex and labour intensive leading to high cost of production. Due to hilly terrain food grains cannot be cultivated on a large area in the State. Rice continues to be the preferred food of Kashmir and consequently continued increase in population eventually will have a major implication for food demand and food security. Assuming no significant change in area and consumption pattern, even if the productivity levels of rice are increased to 6 tons per hectare and yield gap in maize is fully exploited to feed the projected population of 10.5 million in 2030 still there will be production shortfall of more than one million tones to be imported from outside. The target of 6 tons per hectare in rice is quite achievable, at least in lower belts. This has to be attained in a sustainable way that better preserves or restores the natural resource base and increase the resilience of farming system to climatic variation and change. The cultivation of winter wheat as a mono crop in higher belts, adoption of Rice-Wheat rotation in relatively favourable environments, and enhancing the pulse production would help reduces dependence on imports. The practices typically aiming at improving soil fertility, structure and water retaining capacity using a combination of organic, biological and mineral resources and improving water use efficiency have to be optimized andadopted to add sustainability to the production system. An important strategy would be to enhance productivity using both genetic and management options. The pre-and post management losses have to be reduced through integrated approaches. The three factors that could contribute to increasing productivity are (i) Developing new crop varieties including hybrids with higher yield potential,(ii) minimizing yield gap between attained and achievable on farmers field and(iii) reducing post harvest losses. To improve the nutritional security emphasis has to be laid on the enhancement of pulse production which is currently very low.
Kashmir has ideal climatic conditions for offseason vegetables and seed production, floriculture and horticulture. Such activities are capable of transforming economic condition of rural poor. Technical knowhow needs to be extended to the farmers in this regard. Further adoption of off-farm activities like mushroom cultivation, bee keeping, for better access to food, vermin composting ,silk cocoon rearing and agro processing can lead to the development of microenterprises to augment the income of farmers in Kashmir.
Energy requirement of population is also met through meat, poultry, fish and milk and there is a huge mismatch between demand and supply of these products and deserve immediate attention. Besides increasing the availability of food, the access to food has to be improved through sustainable livelihoods. Kashmir has ideal climatic conditions for offseason vegetables and seed production, floriculture and horticulture. Such activities are capable of transforming economic condition of rural poor. Technical knowhow needs to be extended to the farmers in this regard. Further adoption of off-farm activities like mushroom cultivation, bee keeping, for better access to food, vermin composting ,silk cocoon rearing and agro processing can lead to the development of microenterprises to augment the income of farmers in Kashmir.
