Srinagar: The second Union Territory Level Apex Committee (UTLAC) meeting started at SKUAST-K on 27th of September 2022 under the chairmanship of Dr. ManglaRai former Director General ICAR and attended by Dr. Ashok Dalwai, CEO NRAA, GoI; Sh. AtalDulloo IAS Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Agriculture Production Department, GoJK; Dr. P.K. Joshi, Secretary NAAS, New Delhi; Dr. Prabhat Kumar Horticulture Commissioner A&FWD, GoI; Dr. S.H. Gupta Former Director, IARI; Dr. J.P. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor-SKUAST-J and Dr. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-Kashmir. The meeting is to review various joint projects formulated by SKUAST-Kashmir, SKUAST-Jammuand DevelopmentDepartments, GoJKfor holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors in the UT of J&K with the main objective of transforming subsistence agriculture to sustainable agri-economy through investment of knowledge, technology and capital. The 03 day deliberations of the UTLAC will go a longway in finalization of the projects for doubling contribution of Agri-GDP, 100% seed replacement rate, double resource use efficiency, reducing food waste, triple food processing, building capacity to meet the quality planting material, establish 300 functional and profitable FPOs, vocational skill trainings and build state data banks using AI and ICT tools. The committee perceived to have monitoring mechanism besides, quantification of organic waste generated from dairy to be used in Agriculture sector with prioritization of disease management inpoultry and livestock.

KR Desk