India to open highest farm science centre in Leh

The country's highest krishi vigyan kendra (farm science centre) will be set up at Nyoma in Leh district of Jammu and Kashmir at a height of about 14,000 feet, an official said Thursday.

The Nyoma krishi vigyan kendra is likely to bring about substantial change in the lives of people of nearby areas, who are mostly nomads and rear pashmina goats.

The region is extremely cold and dry and, therefore, it is a challenge to promote stable agriculture there.

"The centre will seek to improve fodder production, provide health care to the roaming animals, introduce vegetable production under protected environment and impart training to women on animal care," the official said.

Krishi vigyan kendra's are funded by the Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR) under the Ministry of Agriculture.

Their main focus is to bring latest technology to farm fields and they engage in training farmers about best practices in farming.

There are 631 such centres across the country.