Srinagar: A one day training program on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) was organized by Department of Agriculture Kashmir at Lalmandi, Srinagar. The training programme was inaugurated by Director Agriculture Kashmir Altaf Aijaz Andrabi. During the inaugural lecture Director said that previously agriculture was focussed on increasing the production and productivity, but the present days focus is on sustainable production.
He said Integrated pest management practice is relevant under changing weather scenario for maximising the production. Director added present times Agriculture Department is focussed on the integrated farming system i.e a resource management strategy to achieve economic and sustained production to meet diverse requirement of farm house hold while preserving resource base, ensuring environmental quality and maintaining desirable level of biological diversity.
Andrabi said integrated pest management is a sustainable approach to manage pests by integrating the available plant protection methods like cultural, physical, mechanical, biological and chemical methods to optimise the production costs besides maintaining environmental balance. He said this training programme has been framed keeping in view the importance of integrated pest management for sustainable agriculture production, reduce health and environmental hazards of the chemical pesticides besides to acquaint the field officers of the Department regarding the strategies framed to implement IPM.
The programme was attended by Joint Director Agriculture Extension Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal, Senior Entomologist SPEADA Dr. M. A. Ansar Ali and Field level officers of Kashmir Division.
Joint Director Agriculture Extension while giving the brief about the training program said that this training program will cover all parameters related to pest management which includes IPM-cultural and biological practices, IMP-good agricultural practices for residue free food products, IPM-disease management and role of enforcement in IPM. He underlined the importance of such training programmes in enhancing the expertise and operation management of the field staff of the Department.

KR Desk