Need to develop new seeds, plants compatible with changing climatic patterns: J-K Guv

Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra today suggested all agriculture universities in the hill states to collaborate in developing new seeds and plants compatible with the changing climatic patterns in the country.

Vohra was addressing the sixth convocation of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) here.

"Time has come for agriculture universities in the hill states to collaborate and undertake joint research efforts in the identified areas for timely developing new seeds and plants which will be compatible with the rapidly changing climatic patterns, he said.

Vohra, who is also chancellor of the university, highlighted the agricultural scenario of the state and observed that nearly two-third of the population is directly or indirectly dependent for its livelihood on agriculture and its allied sectors.

However, the average size of our farm holdings is only 0.66 ha, which is about one-third the national average size, he said.

While tackling our internal challenges, we also need to devote urgent attention for dealing with the speedily advancing phenomenon of global warming and climate change which is already beginning to affect the food, fruit, vegetable and animal production, he advised.

He said at the national-level, it would be beneficial if the Union Ministry of Agriculture and other related scientific institutions, considered taking early initiatives to review the content and revamp the pace of the existing pan-India agriculture research and extension methodologies.

He said J-K imports milk, meat, and poultry products, which costs over Rs 2,000 crore per annum.

It will enormously boost the economy of J-K if the state agriculture department, in close concert with state farm universities, launches well-planned initiatives to upgrade and modernise the entire livestock sector in the state, he said.

We should aim at reducing imports to nil and emerge as a net exporting state in the agriculture and livestock sectors, Vohra said.

He said, to increase productivity, there is a need to achieve high-efficiency levels in the utilisation of land and water resources, altogether prohibiting conversion of productive arable lands for varied non-agricultural purposes and taking time-bound steps to check degradation of land and water resources.