Budgam | : A training-cum-awareness programme was organized by the Dryland Agriculture Research Station (DARS), SKUAST-K, Rangreth, Budgam, in which around 100 farmers from District Budgam participated.
During the programme, Associate Director Research, DARS Budgam, Dr. M. Ashraf Bhat highlighted various initiatives undertaken by DARS for the development of new crop varieties in maize, pulses, forages, and millet crops. He emphasized the need for diversification of crops to counter the adverse effects of climate change, which are highly prevalent in the Agro-temperate conditions of Kashmir valley.
He further stressed that farmers must adopt high-yielding, disease- and pest-resistant varieties released by SKUAST Kashmir to enhance crop production.
Dr. Bhat appealed to farmers about the cultivation of SKUAST-K released varieties, along with standardised management practices, farm mechanization, and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, which will revolutionize agricultural production in the region.
On the occasion, Associate Director Research, SKUAST-K, Dr. Z.A. Dar; Former Associate Director, SKUAST-K, MRCFC Khudwani, Dr. G.A. Parray, and other scientists also participated in the event. Dr Parray advised farmers to remain in touch with SKUAST Kashmir for realizing the actual potential of various crop varieties of SKUAST Kashmir.
Later, a field demonstration visit was also organised; where farmers were acquainted with the high yielding potential of the latest released varieties developed by DARS Budgam in maize, fodder maize, cowpea, mung bean, soybean, etc.
Farmers were also made aware about the demonstrations trials on various millets (including pearl millet, proso millet, finger millet, foxtail millet, and sorghum).
