Srinagar: Mountain Research Centre for Field Crops- Khudwani celebrated Rice Field Day Thursday Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganie, Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Kashmir, was the chief guest on the occasion and inaugurated the event. The other notable dignitaries present on the occasion includedShri. M. Afzal Parray-DDC Chairman, Prof. Sarfaraz Ahmad Wani-Director Research, officers of MCRS Sagam, KVK Kulgam, KVK Anantnag, KVK Pulwama, and KVK Budgam, officers from the Department of Agriculture and large number of farmers.
The purpose of the event was to showcase the latest varieties and technologies developed at the centre to the participating farmers and give them an opportunity to choose the variety of their preference for the next Kharif season. Prof. Najeeb-Ul-Rehman, ADR-Khudwani, briefly presented the overview of the centre and highlighted its remarkable achievements in rice and other field crops. Speaking on the occasion, Prof. N.A. Ganie emphasized on the self-sufficiency in food grains and advised the farmers to stop conversion of precious agricultural land to non-agricultural purposes.
He further highlighted the role of farm mechanization in reducing drudgery and cost of cultivation. “Agri-entrepreneurship is an emerging sector with tremendous opportunities and rural youth should engage themselves in it to earn a respectable living”, the chief guest concluded. Shri. M Afzal Parray stressed on the holistic socio-economic development of the farming community through innovative scientific interventions. He remarked that a nation’s prosperity is very closely linked to farmers’ prosperity and advised the farmers to adopt the modern technologies which are more profitable and sustainable in nature. He assured them of complete support from District Development Council and other sub-ordinate offices. Prof. Sarfaraz A Wani highlighted the role of the centre in revival and upscaling of traditional high-value rice landraces such as Mushkbudji, red rice etc. in Kashmir valley. He further, informed the participants that varieties are bred at the centre according to the farmers’ preferences and requirements of different ecologies.The program concluded with vote of thanks to the chair.

KR Desk