SRINAGAR: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Information Technology, Science and Technology, Transport, Satish Sharma, today reaffirmed the government’s commitment towards transforming Jammu and Kashmir’s agriculture sector through cutting-edge science, technology and innovation.
The Minister was speaking at a high-level Stakeholders Meet on Strengthening the Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) Ecosystem in Kashmir, organized by PI-RAHI, Northern Region S&T Cluster in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Science & Technology Council and Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-Kashmir).
The function witnessed participation of Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K, Dr. Nazir Ahmad Ganai; Secretary Science & Technology, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary; Advisor PI-RAHI, Jatinder Kour Arora; Additional Director JKSTIC, Dr. Nasir Shah along with senior scientists, progressive farmers, scholars and officers of the Science & Technology Department.
Satish Sharma invoked the visionary reforms of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Abdullah, who brought the historic land-to-the-tiller legislation. He emphasized that the present focus is on bringing about a similar transformation through smart technologies and modern scientific interventions in agriculture. “Today’s focus is on creating a dynamic Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) ecosystem in Kashmir. Our farmers must not only be beneficiaries of government aid but active participants in technological progress,” he maintained.
The Minister outlined several key pillars of the government’s agricultural transformation agenda under the leadership of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. These included Smart Farming Solutions, Biotechnology Interventions, Post-Harvest Management and Value Addition, Use of Renewable Energy in Agriculture, E-Commerce and Direct Market Access for Farmers, Skill Development, Capacity Building and Robust R&D.
Satish Sharma also launched four new start-ups by young innovators of SKUAST-K, symbolizing the government’s support for youth-led entrepreneurship in the agri-tech domain. He praised the innovative spirit of Kashmir’s youth and stressed the importance of creating a conducive research and innovation ecosystem. “We have the brains that can do wonders. All they need is the right environment, like a seed that needs sunlight and water to bloom,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K, elaborated on the university’s initiatives to build a vibrant agri-technology ecosystem. He said that these steps are geared toward increasing employability, improving yields, and boosting the income of the farming community.
Secretary Science & Technology, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, stressed the need to bridge the gap between government and academia, enabling the young researchers to scale their innovations. He proposed institutional scholarships to support youth innovators and ensure their ideas receive the necessary backing.
Earlier, the Minister went around the SKUAST-K campus and interacted with the students and innovators. He was briefed about several ongoing research projects and cutting-edge technologies being developed to support sustainable and climate-resilient farming in the region.
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