Lt Governor calls for expanding opportunities in rural areas

Srinagar, Nov 11: Calling for expanding opportunities in rural areas, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said that the true measure of progress lies in improving farmers’ incomes and strengthening their economic security.
Addressing a gathering after inaugurating four key infrastructure facilities at SKUAST-Kashmir here, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, said, “I believe that the greatest test of any change is how much positive difference it makes in a farmer’s life. The true measure of our progress should be the rising income of farmers, their economic security, a better future for their families, and the new opportunities emerging in rural areas.”
He said, “The identity of Jammu Kashmir lies in its hardworking farmers, artisans, and its rich traditions of agriculture, horticulture, and handicrafts. HADP’s projects and farmer-centric policies in the past 6 years have played an important role in strengthening Jammu Kashmir’s rural economy and creating new opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship among youth.”
“The real success of any modern technology or modern tools will come only when their benefits reach the small farmers in villages and bring about a real increase in their incomes,” Sinha added.
He highlighted the crucial role of agricultural universities in delivering practical solutions to challenges related to food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development. “Agricultural universities are unique institutions where concerns and aspirations linked to a nation’s food security can be transformed into concrete solutions. Four facilities inaugurated today collectively reflect a comprehensive vision of smart agriculture and rural advancement.”
The Lieutenant Governor inaugurated a solar-powered Internet of Things (IoT)-based irrigation and fertigation system, designed to provide crops with water and nutrients in the right quantity and at the right time. He observed that the technology has significant potential to benefit small and marginal farmers by reducing labour-intensive irrigation practices and dependence on conventional energy sources.
The Lieutenant Governor also inaugurated the Prototype Design and Development Centre, which will help translate innovative concepts into practical agricultural tools and technologies.
He expressed confidence that the facility would promote mechanisation and bridge the gap between laboratory research and field-level application.
The Lieutenant Governor also inaugurated the Health and Wellness Centre, describing it as an important addition to the university’s infrastructure for the well-being of students and faculty members.
Highlighting the importance of entrepreneurship, the Lieutenant Governor described the newly established Directorate of Innovation and Entrepreneurship as a transformative initiative.
He encouraged students to become job creators by establishing enterprises in areas such as seed testing, cold-chain management and soil health services. He asked the university to develop the directorate into a platform that provides mentoring, guidance and assistance in accessing capital for young entrepreneurs across Jammu Kashmir.
Calling for sustained action, the Lieutenant Governor asked SKUAST-Kashmir to take the new irrigation technology to villages within the coming year and actively involve farmers in its improvement. He stressed the need to convert data collected through sensors into simple agricultural advisories in local languages and deliver them to farmers through digital platforms.
The Lieutenant Governor further encouraged the university to facilitate the establishment of at least 100 student-led startups, strengthen linkages among laboratories, cooperative societies, farmer-producer organisations and farmers, and place youth and women farmers at the centre of future programmes.
“We must make data and technology partners of the farmer. Our goal should be to establish at least 100 student-led enterprises and startups from the SKUAST-Kashmir campus within the coming year.
The University must become a strong bridge between laboratories and cooperative societies, between farmer-producer organisations, and between researchers and small and marginal farmers. I want youth and women farmers to be at the centre of every programme,” he said.
Emphasising the growing challenges posed by climate change, the Lieutenant Governor called upon the university to make sustainable development and environmental stewardship central to its identity. He underlined that the true measure of progress lies in improving farmers’ incomes, strengthening their economic security and expanding opportunities in rural areas.
On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor released a coffee table book highlighting the achievements and institutional journey of SKUAST-Kashmir. A Multi-Tier Data Management and Accreditation Workflow System, aimed at strengthening institutional data management and accreditation-related processes was also launched.
Javid Ahmad Dar, Minister for Agriculture Production, Finance, Mining and Cooperatives; Prof. Nazir Ahmed Ganai, Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Kashmir; Prof Mohammad Ashraf Ganie, Director, SKIMS; Akshay Labroo, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar; Prof Azmat Alam Khan, Registrar SKUAST-K, HoDs, senior officials, faculty members and students attended the inaugural ceremony. (KNO)