KUPWARA, MAY 25: District
Development Commissioner Kupwara Khalid Jahangir today chaired an interactive
session regarding promotion of organic farm practices at grass-root level in
the district.
Among
others, officers from Agriculture and Horticulture departments, Animal
Husbandry, Chief Planning Officer Kupwara and farmers of the district attended
the interactive session.
DC Kupwara
suggested that an action plan shall be prepared to include cultivation,
processing, storage and marketing of organic vegetables and fruits on a pilot
basis in five villages viz. Dedikote, Hajinar, Hatmulla, Khumriyal and Trehgam.
He said that this can be replicated in other areas provided rich dividends in
days ahead.
The chair while
being apprised by the farmers present of various issues regarding organic
farming, suggestions including application of organic fertilizers to enhance
production, spreading awareness among people on the health benefits of organic
vegetables and the consequences of consuming pesticide content vegetables,
double cropping to ensure adequate supply of food for humans and fodder for
domestic animals were put forth. The farmers demanded desilting of streams for
smooth flow of water required for irrigation, vermicompost units for production
of organic fertilizers and conducting of awareness campaigns to encourage
farmers to adopt organic farming as a viable cost-effective environmental
friendly alternative.
DDC said
that Kupwara with the abundance of walnut trees has every potential to utilize
natural resources like these for economic upliftment. "Woodcarving, one of
the traditional art forms for which Valley is famous all over the world, can be
adopted as a sustainable employment opportunity by the people of the
district" he added. While responding to the issues raised by farmers
present, DC suggested high-density walnut plantation as an effective method
towards harvesting rich dividends from this sector.
