KUPWARA: The Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has chalked out a comprehensive agricultural transformation plan in aspirational border and hilly district Kupwara. The plan is presently operational and is being implemented on priority basis, first time, creating history.
The district is spread on an area of 2379 square kilometers including 1651 square kilometer of forest area, situated on an average altitude of 5300 feet above sea level. About 70% population of the district depends on the agriculture and allied activities.
Nature has bestowed the district with scenic beauty and is resourceful in Agriculture and allied sectors.
In order to exploit its agricultural potential, the Government has undertaken a multipronged strategy by introducing various centrally sponsored schemes which has proved as a game changer in agrarian economy which is backbone of the sustenance of rural masses.
During the recent past, intervention of various flagship programmes/schemes like PM KISAN, PM KMY, Soil Health card scheme, Farm Mechanization, MadhuKranti PMKSY were directly implemented and monitored by NITI Ayog, resulting in a viable and significant change in various developmental indicators of the district.
The department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare intends to bring the agriculture on sustainable Commercial lines with the objective to explore entrepreneurship opportunities in Agriculture for educated unemployed youth of the district.
According to Chief Agriculture officer (CAO) Kupwara, Nazir Ahmad Wani, the mechanization of the agriculture sector, provision of quality seed, efficient water management system and assistance in livestock farming were transforming the Agriculture sector into a high-yielding economic entity.
He also informed that Farm Mechanization has proved a game changer in the field of Agriculture under which introduction of Farm Machinery like tractors, tillers, farm machinery banks, Custom hiring centers, Weeders, Irrigation Pump sets, Brush Cutters, innovative farm tools to the farmers has reduced farm drudgery to a greater extent. The farming operations have speeded up and this has helped farmers to reduce the cost of cultivation viz a viz carrying timely farm operations thereby influencing crop production and productivity. He said, this has resulted into increased yield and reduced farming costs, which had further boosted the income of the farmers; thus the slogan raised by the Prime Minister of India to double the income of the farmers is being translated into reality.
The CAO said, “Introduction of high yielding varieties of paddy like SR-3, SR-4 has increased crop yield from 50 quintal to 75 quintal per hectare”.
“In vegetable crops, the introduction of HYV/ HYBRIDS/ EXOTIC varieties has revolutionized vegetable sector. Farmers are now growing vegetables on commercial scale”, informed the CAO adding that, theTomato farming in Hachmarg tribal village is an example of commercial Vegetable farming. He said that the introduction of Greenhouse technology has benefited farmers by stretching the short growing season and production of early healthy crop nursery there by producing two crops in a year.

KR Desk