SRINAGAR: A one-day Interaction-cum-Awareness Program was conducted in the village of Baba Nagri, Kangan, in the Ganderbal under the DST-SEED funded project, “Inclusion of Indigenous Survival Skills in Livelihood Security of Tribal Community in Kashmir, India.”.
Baba Nagri is a tribal village comprising around 500–600 households, with the majority dependent on dairy activities, small-scale agriculture, labour work, and traditional crafts. The programme was led by Dr. Omar Fayaz Khan, Principal Investigator along with Dr Ubair Nisar (Scientist, IBPR, FoH, SKUAST-K) and DST project staff & Students.
The team interacted with community to assess existing livelihood practices and to inform them about the project’s objectives of promoting sustainable income generation from dairy cooperative model. During the interaction, the team found that around more 80% of households are already engaged in dairy-related activities, making dairy the most viable and high-potential sector for immediate income improvement.
Observing this, the project team highlighted the possibility of establishing a community-based dairy unit in the village. The villagers were briefed about how DST-SEED support can assist them in capacity building, enterprise development, equipment supply, and creating formal livelihood groups.