 Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 7: Training Programme on "Wild to Wealth: Empowering Kandi's Women Through Minor Fruit Value Addition & Processing" was organized by the Division of Agricultural Extension Education, SKUAST-Jammu (sponsored by JKST&IC project) for the Rural Women & Youths of village Badholi, of District Kathua under the noble guidance & dynamic leadership of Vice Chancellor, Prof. B.N. Tripathi. Prof Poonam Parihar (PI of the JKST&IC project), Division of Agricultural Extension Education, Dr. Neerja Sharma (Co-PI of the JKST&IC project) & Chief Scientist, Horticulture, KVK Samba, S. Sarabjeet Singh, Technical officer, Division of Agricultural Extension Education, Dr. Vishal Sharma, Scientist (Agronomy), KVK, Kathua attended & participated in the Programme.
While giving the welcoming address, Prof Poonam Parihar, Principal Investigator of the Project highlighted that Value addition of minor fruits (e.g., Amla, Jamun, Bael, Karonda, Ber, Chakotra, Jhamiri, Kimb etc) in Kandi areas of Jammu is vital for empowering rural women by transforming locally available, underutilized produce into high-value products like jams, pickles, and powders. This boosts income, enhances household nutrition, reduces food wastage, and promotes entrepreneurship. Significance of Processing fruits (e.g., producing bael squash, lemon squash or amla candy) allows women to sell goods at higher prices than raw fruits, generating sustainable livelihoods through self-help groups (SHGs). Agripreneurship has the potential to contribute to a range of social & economic development such as employment generation, income generation, poverty reduction & improvements in nutrition, health & overall food security in the National economy. It will improve the productive efficiency of the natural resources and provide better and more livelihoods options to farmers and agriculture workers. The target group (Women and youth) could be exposed to different training interventions for increasing their knowledge & Skill up gradation. The demonstrations/training on post-harvest operations like grading, Packaging Branding & Marketing would encourage self-employment to rural people and value addition of locally available minor fruits. She further added that Entrepreneurs can create innovative products, enhance agricultural incomes, and contribute to sustainable practices not only providing higher value products but also creates local jobs in processing and marketing. She also briefed the participants about the importance of value addition, industrial growth, urbanization & globalization.
Dr Neerja Sharma, Chief Scientist, Horticulture, KVK, Samba said that the Aripreneurship has potential to generate growth, diversifying income, providing widespread employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in rural areas and the minor fruits with their diverse characteristics and untapped potential, offer significant opportunities for value addition and entrepreneurship which enhances farmers' incomes by leveraging their unique qualities, nutritional benefits, and cultural significance. value addition is an important aspect of Agripreneurship, significantly enhancing the economic value of agricultural products through various processes and innovations. She laid Scientific practical demonstrations on Value addition of bi products of lemon (Citrus Fruit) into many value added bi-products e.g., lemon Pickle, lemon squash & lemon juice etc and also gave demonstration on the preparation of Ragi Ladoo's on the participants demand.
Dr. Vishal Sharma, Scientist (Agronomy), KVK, Kathua apprised the participants about the Formulation of farmers Interest Groups for market-led-extension which can uplift the socioeconomic conditions of the target group. Traditional and minor fruits contribute to poverty reduction and livelihood enhancement as well as ensure household food and nutritional security adding women and youth participation through employment and income generation.
The Programme was also attended by Sushant Sharma, Young Professional (NICRA), KVK, Kathua & Mukesh Kumar, Artist-cum-photographer (DoAEE), Sangeeta Gourey, Project Assistant, PG students Monika & Nandani of SKUAST-Jammu. The programme was concluded with a vote of thanks by the Panch of the village Sudesh Rani. |
