JK to soon have Agriculture policy to meet climate change: Mir

Jammu, February 10, (Scoop News)-The Jammu and Kashmir Government would soon have an Agriculture policy framed to meet among others the challenges posed to agriculture crop cycle by the climate change phenomenon being observed across the Globe.
Chairing a high level meeting here today, the Minister for Agriculture Production, Mr Ghulam Hassan Mir reviewed the final draft of the Policy in presence of Minister of State for Sheep, Animal Husbandry and Agriculture, Nazir Ahmed Gurezi prepared by the experts of SKUAST – Jammu.
The Policy envisages measures for meeting the challenges of climatic change affecting the crop Cycle and achieving self-sufficiency in food through comprehensive planning and intervention programmes, including soil mapping, seed replacement creation of dependable irrigation infrastructure, technology transfer to the fields.
Terming the framing of the policy as a significant achievement, Mir stressed the need to implement the policy on the ground to benefit the farmers and meet the objectives envisioned thereto. He appreciated the experts for putting in best of their efforts to come up with a comprehensive document detailing all the aspects to be included in an effective policy.
The Minister directed the Agriculture Department to identify one village in each block of the state as model to implement the measures suggested in the policy to beat the challenges of climatic change on crop cycle and for achieving better production through other innovative methods suggested by it.
Describing the framing of the policy as a step in right direction, Minister of State for Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Agriculture also suggested for thorough implementation of the scheme on the ground. He stressed on massive soil testing across the state adding that it would definitely help in curbing the crop loss and increase in the yield.
Earlier, the Experts of SKUAST Jammu gave a power point presentation on Agriculture Policy including State Seed Plan, soil fertility mapping in Kashmir, Resource mapping through Geographic Information System (GIS).
Principal Secretary Planning and Development B. R. Sharma, Principal Secretary Finance B. B. Vyas, Commissioner Secretary Agriculture Production Dr. Asgar Samoon, Director Agriculture Kashmir Peerzada Mushtaq Ahmad, Director Agriculture Jammu S. S. Jamwal, Directors of Horticulture Department Kashmir and Jammu, Scientist, Experts and Professors of SKUAST, Jammu and senior officers of Agriculture and Horticulture departments attended the meeting.