Jammu: Secretary Agriculture Production Department, J&K and Mission Director, Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) Sandeep Kumar on Wednesday chaired a comprehensive review meeting to assess the implementation of different components of the HADP.
The meeting was held here in the Conference Hall Directorate of Agriculture Krishi Bhawan.
The review session was attended by Project Grounding and Monitoring Committees, Directors of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Sericulture and Sheep Husbandry from both Jammu and Kashmir divisions, alongside representatives from SKUAST-Jammu and SKUAST-Kashmir. Officers from the Kashmir division joined the proceedings virtually.
Key agenda items included a review of the action taken on decisions from previous meetings, submission of training calendars, and the status of farmer training initiatives. Progress updates were also shared regarding the Daksh Kisan Portal and the Kisan Sathi Portal, particularly in relation to course completion and farmer registration, respectively.
During the meeting, Sandeep Kumar directed all departments to fast-track the implementation of assigned tasks and ensure robust inter-departmental coordination for effective execution of developmental projects under HADP.
A detailed review of all ongoing projects under HADP was conducted. The Mission Director instructed concerned officers to adhere strictly to projects timelines and objectives. He particularly emphasized the need to strengthen the agricultural marketing system to enhance the sale and distribution of produce, including infrastructure development for marketing fruits and vegetables.
In the livestock sector, the Mission Director stressed the importance of improving animal health, breeding programs, and value addition through various schemes and initiatives under HADP.
Special focus was given to the area expansion of millets under the Promotion of Nutri-Cereals (Millets) project. Sandeep Kumar highlighted the significance of Research & Development (R&D) in this domain and called for the conservation of traditional landraces and indigenous varieties.
The meeting concluded with a discussion on organizing farmer-centric workshops under HADP, particularly on themes such as organic farming and beekeeping. Progressive farmers will be invited to share their experiences during these events, fostering peer learning and community engagement. Sandeep Kumar further stressed the need for documentation of success stories, which will serve as motivational case studies for the wider farming community.
