Srinagar, Aug 10 (KNO): Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, Saturday said that Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP) will usher in a new era of growth in agriculture and allied sectors that will greatly improve the lives of farmers and increase their manifold.
Chief Secretary made these remarks during interaction with HADP beneficiaries at Sher e Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) Kashmir.
He said that there is certainly a view out there among the farmers of J&K that HADP has brought about significant enhancement in their income and witnessing the success stories of farmers is a reflection of the positive outcomes.
Dulloo said that 70 percent of the population in J&K has agriculture as predominant livelihood venture and it was in this context that government came up with a pragmatic and synergized policy program (HADP) which will address the challenges and transform sector into the envisioned prosperous sustainable agriculture economy in the region.
Chief Secretary said that aim of HADP is to increase the production, productivity, growth, employment generation among other things which would double the contribution of agri sector towards GDP.
Dulloo said that HADP will enhance the income of 13 lakh farmer families and provide employment opportunities to about 3 lakhs and skill development to 2.5 lakh farmers.
He said that J&K has a comparative advantage over other parts of the country in various products like saffron, mushk budji rice, apples, walnuts and realising it's full potential is one of the objectives of HADP.
Dulloo said that one of the biggest successes of HADP is the increasing confidence of the younger generation in agriculture and allied sectors. He said that youth who were moving away from agriculture have found a renewed interest in this sector and have greatly attained success. He said that youth have not only created employment for themselves but also provided employment opportunities to a large number of people and inspired them to join HADP.
Emphasizing that HADP provides a whole set of ecosystem where a farmer gets information, knowledge and understanding which builds his confidence, Chief Secretary said that this ecosystem has been brought about by the integration of farmers, agriculture department and University. Dulloo said that HADP is marked by collaborative efforts and a shared commitment to driving real income and livelihood growth for J&K's farmers.
Dulloo said that in HADP, emphasis is being laid on ecosystem services and restoration and sustainable utilization of biodiversity to efficiently use bio-resources for food, feed and industry.
Chief Secretary also shared various key interventions and necessary steps being taken by the J&K Government to make the farmers of Jammu Kashmir entrepreneurs par excellence. Terming Kisan Khidmat Ghars as another big success of HADP, Dulloo said that these will serve as one-stop service hubs, offering comprehensive support, from input supply to marketing and technological assistance to our farmer community.
In his address, Chief Secretary also extended his felicitations to the progressive farmers, growers and all the stakeholders. He also suggested that success stories of farmers should be documented so that more and more join HADP and become entrepreneurs to boost the economy of the UT.
Chief Secretary said that there is a robust monitoring and evaluation system to provide information to the project management and other stakeholders to understand how and through what process inputs get converted into outputs, what issues are critical in that conversion process and what action is necessary to increase effectiveness.
He added that the unique initiatives like HADP is a testimony to the unwavering commitment of the UT Administration to farmers' welfare and our determination to explore new avenues to bring prosperity to their lives.
Vice Chancellor SKUAST, Secretary Agriculture, Director Agriculture, scientists, academicians, farmers, students were present there—(KNO)