Members review practices to diversify crops

A four-member delegation of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) visited the project area at the CSK HP Agricultural University on Tuesday and reviewed the new agricultural practices going on in Himachal Pradesh Crop Diversification Promotion Project-2. This is the fifth visit of any international mission to JICA Agriculture Project-2 area in the last two years.The JICA mission team held discussions with the Vice-Chancellor Dr Naveen Thakur and officers of JICA Agriculture Project-2. Dr Sunil Chauhan, Project Director of Project-2, handed over the status report explaining the progress to the review team.

The delegation also visited the Collection Centre at Paprola and held interactive sessions with the beneficiary farmers’ producer company and its Self Help Groups (SHGs) women members. The Project Director Dr Sunil Chauhan informed the dignitaries that the Centre was established in 2017 during the Project-1 period with a total outlay of Rs 36.77 lakh. Later, during Project-2, the Centre was handed over to the existing Farmer Producers’ Organisation (FPO)- Baijnath Pragatisheel Kisan Utpadak Producer Company Ltd in June 2023. The FPO is engaged in storage, processing and retailing of the farm produce, collection grading and processing of wool, milk collection, bottling and selling. It has 450 members with about six Self Help Groups (SHGs) of Gabli Kuhl, Hartada, Ragloo, Dharer, Chhoo Nala and Badagram & Nahlots also associated with it. The wool procured by the FPO is also being exported.