Early Times Report JAMMU, Oct 3: Satish Sharma, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Transport, Science & Technology, Information Technology, Youth Services & Sports, and ARI & Trainings Departments, today flagged off a one-day exposure visit of progressive farmers under the Promotion of Oilseed (HADP) in the presence of Sh. Anil Gupta, Director Agriculture Jammu. A group of 62 farmers from Chamb Constituency, Sub Division Akhnoor, accompanied by three officers from the Department of Agriculture, Jammu, are participating in the visit to Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), R. S Pura Jammu. The programme aims to familiarize the farmers with modern technologies, scientific interventions, and best practices in oilseed cultivation, thereby enhancing their knowledge and capacity to adopt innovative methods at the field level. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that promotion and area expansion of oilseeds is extremely important to reduce the country's dependence on edible oil imports. For this purpose, farmers need extensive technical and scientific training so that they can adopt modern practices effectively and increase production. He emphasized that such exposure visits will help bridge the gap between scientific research and field-level application. Director Agriculture Jammu, Sh. Anil Gupta, while addressing the farmers, highlighted the need for diversification of farming activities to enhance farmers' incomes. He said that along with oilseed promotion, farmers will also be given exposure and technical training on mushroom cultivation, keeping in view the upcoming mushroom season, so that farmers can supplement oilseed production with mushroom farming and move towards doubling their income. Present on the occasion were Chief Agriculture Officer Jammu, Manohar Lal Sharma; Agriculture Chemist, Vinod Kumar Sharma; SMS (DL), Rajeev Katoch; SDAO Akhnoor, Rajan Sharma; ASCO Akhnoor, Rajesh Langer; besides JAEOs and AEAs of Sub Division Akhnoor. |