L-G Sinha praises ‘nari shakti’ for innovation in agri sector

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha lauded the significant contribution of ‘nari shakti’ (women power) in driving innovation and enhancing productivity and efficiency in agriculture.

Addressing the 9th convocation ceremony of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) in Jammu, Sinha applauded the outstanding performance of girl students securing 252 out of 446 degrees, seven of eight gold medals, and 32 of 35 merit certificates.

“Agriculture and allied sector is witnessing women-led development. I am extremely proud that out of eight gold medallists in post-graduate and graduate courses, seven are our daughters. Also, out of 35 Certificates of Merit in PhD and post graduate courses, 32 were awarded to girls. It is a symbol of the rising influence of ‘nari shakti’ in agriculture and allied sectors and I believe they will be driving innovation for sustainable agriculture and enhancing farmers’ income,” the L-G said.

“In areas like climate smart crops, pest management, biotech solutions, organic farming, the participation of women scientists has made invaluable contribution,” he added.

Sinha also spoke on the need for a stronger innovation and modern technology ecosystem for sustainable agricultural practices to prioritise farmer incomes, risk mitigation and strengthening farmer-industry linkages. “Total transformation at all stages of ‘Beej se Bazar tak’ (From seed to market) has been our mantra in J&K. The resolution of ‘lab to land’ has been realised to make the small and marginal farmers self-reliant,” the L-G said.

He called upon the new generation of scientists and experts to focus on smart farming. He said the revolution in seed production, pest management, food processing, farm mechanisation has ensured opportunities for the young professional to contribute in product development and quality control.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah lauded the agricultural scientists, faculty and students in driving innovation and called for farmer-centric research to build self-reliant Jammu and Kashmir.

He also stated that is was an absolute pleasure to see so many girls receiving gold medals, a shining example of women excelling in agri-education and research. “Gone are the days when it was thought that agriculture and allied sectors were the exclusive domain of men who have to fight for their rightful place by virtue of hardwork,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of agriculture and allied sectors, he said this is an area which has a rich potential and needs a focussed attention from the government and the academia to build self-reliant Jammu and Kashmir with farmer-centric research.

“This sector is the most important part of our economy. In terms of visibility, tourism is seen as more important while industry also gets a lot of attention. But if you look at the GDP of J&K as a state, as a territory, agriculture and allied sectors far exceed anything else that contributes to the economy of the J&K,” Abdullah said.

On the occasion, the LG also inaugurated a state-of-the-art Ex-Situ Gene Bank. This facility will preserve genetic resources such as seeds, plant tissue, animal germplasm outside their natural habitat and will prove to be an invaluable resource for breeding and research programmes.

The Lieutenant Governor also laid the foundation stone for 200-bedded farmers’ hostel and a faculty building with common academic facilities.