Mohali NGO launches sustainable farming programme in Pathankot

Pathankot, April 4

A Mohali-based NGO, Roundglass Foundation, today launched its Regenerative Agriculture Programme in Pathankot district. The main aim of the venture is to reverse the trend of declining soil quality in the state.

Among its other objectives are to address the declining water table, decreasing income of farmers, reduction in the use of synthetic inputs, increase in crop yield and mitigating the impact of climate change.

The programme commenced with a daylong workshop which was inaugurated by Sarpal Singh, one of the founding members of the foundation. Experts from PAU, Ludhiana, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Agriculture Technology and Research Institute (ATARI) were present. Dr Hari Ram, head of the Department of Agronomy, PAU and Dr Mahesh Kumar Narang, Principal Extension Scientist and head of the Department of Farm Machinery, were the keynote speakers.

Vishal Chawla, an NGO official, said: “Excessive use of fertilisers and over-exploitation of water resources are big challenges confronting farmers. We should make efforts to overcome them by promoting sustainable farming techniques. We urge more to join us in this mission and make agriculture in Punjab sustainable climate-resistant.”

The stakeholders also discussed the relevance of existing government policies in farming and also ways to make them more innovative and effective.