Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 24: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-J) today organized a lecture on organic farming at Main Campus, Chatha, which was inaugurated by Vice Chancellor Professor J P Sharma.
In his inaugural address, the VC said that organic farming improves environmental sustainability, farm profitability and human health. He reiterated that organic farming ensures food security; helps in conservation of natural resources, lead to long term economic and ecological sustainability besides benefit cost ratio are higher as input efficiencies are increased.
Dr Jag Paul Sharma, Associate Director Research, SKUAST-J was the main speaker on the occasion and he emphasised that organic farming is a way forward that ensures good soil health since in organic farming the application of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides is completely restricted.
Professor Sharma said that organic farming can provide employment opportunities for farmers since the demand of organic products is continuously increasing during the last few years due to increasing socio-economic status and health consciousness of consumers. Among the leading organic producers in the world, India has 8,35,000 organic producers which is the highest and moreover India exports its 70 percent organic products to Europe and 20 percent to United States, he informed. He further deliberated that despite immense scope of organic farming in the country in general and UT of J&K in particular, there are certain constraints which hamper its further promotion like lack of knowledge of the concept of organic farming among farmers, difficulty in certification, arrangement of regular visits of experts in the fields, inadequate availability of organic inputs and storage, transportation and marketing of organic products.
He also stressed that for promoting organic farming, incentives should be given to organic farmers. “Besides, organic producers’ organizations should be developed, value addition and branding of organic products should be done and capacity building of organic farmers should be done to improve their knowledge and skills in organic farming,” he stressed.
Dr R K Gupta, Director Research, SKUAST-Jammu said that prior to adoption of organic farming on a large scale it should be tested on pilot basis to prove its long term feasibility. All the statutory officers of the University, Heads and Faculty members of Division of Agronomy, Soil Science, Plant Pathology and Entomology attended the lecture. The vote of thanks was presented by Dr Vikas Sharma, Professor, Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry.
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