SKUAST-K Organises Millet Awareness Programme in Gurez to Promote Climate-Resilient Farming
The Division of Agricultural Extension and Communication, Faculty of Agriculture, Wadura, SKUAST-Kashmir, in collaboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Gurez, organised an awareness-cum-training programme on millet cultivation under a JKST&IC-funded project aimed at reviving traditional millets in the north-western Himalayas of Kashmir. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The programme focused on increasing farmers’ awareness about millet cultivation, nutritional benefits, value addition, marketing opportunities and the formation of collective enterprises to improve rural livelihoods.
Addressing the participants, Dr Bilal Ahmad Bhat, Principal Investigator of the JKST&IC-sponsored project and Head of the Division of Agricultural Extension, highlighted the importance of reviving traditional millet cultivation to strengthen nutritional security, promote climate-resilient agriculture and encourage sustainable farming practices.
He urged farmers to adopt millet cultivation and make full use of various government schemes and programmes that support millet production, processing and value chain development.
During the technical sessions, Dr Shijaat Hussain Bhat, Assistant Professor, delivered a lecture on the marketing potential of millets, stressing the importance of market linkages, branding and entrepreneurship for millet growers.
Dr Syed Shafat Kubrevi, Assistant Professor, explained the benefits of value addition in millets and demonstrated how processing and developing millet-based products can significantly increase farmers’ incomes while creating new livelihood opportunities.
Speaking on collective farming initiatives, Dr Zahoor Ahmad Shah, Assistant Professor, highlighted the role of Millet-based Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in improving access to quality inputs, strengthening collective marketing, enhancing bargaining power and enabling farmers to benefit from government support and larger markets.
Dr Jauhar Rafiq Parray, Scientist at KVK Gurez, emphasised the growing importance of millets in modern agriculture, noting their resilience to climate change, low input requirements and high nutritional value.
The organisers said the initiative aligns with the vision of SKUAST-K Vice Chancellor Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganie to strengthen outreach programmes that empower farming communities through scientific interventions, climate-resilient crops, improved nutrition and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
The programme witnessed enthusiastic participation from local farmers, who actively interacted with experts and expressed strong interest in promoting millet cultivation across the Gurez region.
The organisers reaffirmed their commitment to building farmers’ capacities through continued awareness programmes, training and extension activities aimed at promoting climate-resilient and nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
