The one-day programme focused on soil health management and sustainable agricultural practices. A total of 22 officials and field functionaries from agriculture and allied departments participated in the training.
A one-day capacity-building training programme on organic and natural farming practices for soil health management was held at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kathua, in Jammu and Kashmir, under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), Project 16, on alternate agricultural systems for sustainability.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, the programme was organised under the guidance of Dr. Balbir Dhotra, Principal Investigator of HADP-16 and Professor at the Centre for Organic and Natural Farming (CONF), Chatha, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-Jammu). It was conducted under the overall supervision of the university’s Director Research.
Training Focuses on Soil Health and Sustainable Agriculture
Dr. Vishal Gupta, Chief Scientist and Head of KVK Kathua, delivered technical lectures during the programme. He highlighted the importance of organic and natural farming methods, soil health management and sustainable agricultural practices.
The training aimed to strengthen the knowledge and awareness of field functionaries regarding farming practices that support soil health, human health and environmental sustainability. It also sought to familiarise participants with approaches that can contribute to the long-term sustainability of agricultural systems.
Organic and natural farming form part of the activities undertaken under HADP-16, which focuses on promoting alternative agricultural systems and sustainable farming practices. SKUAST-Jammu has undertaken training and capacity-building initiatives under the project to disseminate knowledge about organic farming among agricultural stakeholders.
Officials from Agriculture and Allied Departments Participate
A total of 22 participants attended the training programme. They included Horticulture Development Officers (HDOs), Agriculture Extension Officers (AEOs), Junior Agriculture Extension Officers (JAEOs), Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officers (SDAOs), Subject Matter Specialists (SMSs) and technical assistants.
The participation of officials and field-level functionaries was intended to strengthen the dissemination of technical knowledge and improve awareness of sustainable farming practices among those involved in agricultural extension activities.
Dr. Tanika Mahajan, Young Professional, assisted in organising the programme along with the HADP-16 team.
Part of Training Series Across Jammu Division
The Kathua programme was part of a series of capacity-building initiatives being conducted at different Krishi Vigyan Kendras across the Jammu Division under HADP-16.
The initiative is intended to build the capacity of agricultural personnel and support the adoption of organic and natural farming practices suited to local agricultural conditions. Through such programmes, the project seeks to promote awareness of soil management and environmentally sustainable agricultural methods among officials responsible for advising and supporting the farming community.
Saqib Zargar is a The Chenab Times staff reporter.