Jammu, Jan 12: Governor, N N Vohra and the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah have emphasized the need for setting up of area and activity specific Model Villages in J&K for effectively demonstrating the benefits of new technologies and promotion of animal and sheep husbandry, floriculture, horticulture, mushroom and vegetable cultivation, beekeeping etc. to transform agriculture and allied sectors in the State, an official statement said.
The governor was chairing the 4th Council Meeting of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu, here on Tuesday. 
The Governor and the Chief Minister said that the establishment of Model Villages would act as catalysts for demonstrating the impact of research from lab to land and motivate the farmers to adopt newer technologies and approaches, to achieve higher levels of productivity and production with a view to obtaining self-sufficiency in agri-production.
The Governor laid stress on the importance of Agricultural Universities initiating measures for effectively utilizing and promoting Biotechnology and Bionanotechnology, adding that inter-disciplinary cells should be set up in both the varsities for this purpose. He emphasized on the need for formulating crop, potential and agro-climatic zone specific projects for adoption and propagation of new technologies for the larger benefit of the farmers. He observed that this could be best done by adopting multi-disciplinary approach.
Stressing further the need for greater synergy between the Agricultural Universities and the agriculture extension agencies of the government, he said that joint teams of both should visit different areas of the State to evaluate the results of the various initiatives on the ground.
Referring to the Seed Production Programme, the Governor said that as far as possible the hybrid varieties of seeds of various crops should be progressively cultivated, multiplied and popularized for securing higher yields in J&K.
The Chief Minister recognized the need for ensuring timely selection of candidates for pursuing various courses in the Agricultural Universities of the State so that they do not lose any time in it. He observed that, as necessary, he shall personally chair a meeting to remove the delaying factors. 
The Chief Minister said that the findings in the laboratories are required to be taken to fields and translating research into practical reality was imperative to revolutionizing productivity in the agricultural sector.
Referring to the Certificate Courses being started by the SKUAST-J for skill upgradation of the youth, Omar said that this programme needed to be given wider publicity to ensure larger participation by the young farmers. He also laid stress on encouraging poultry farming to supplement the rural incomes.
The Chief Minister said that the Government would provide all possible support to the SKUAST, Jammu in their pursuit to strengthen the agriculture and allied sectors in the State and open new vistas of economic progress.   
The Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir, emphasized the need for closer coordination between the Universities and the extension agencies of the State Agriculture, Horticulture and Forest Departments, adding that this cannot be done in isolation and the role of both should be complimentary to achieve the desired results. He put forth several suggestions for promotion of the agriculture and allied sectors in the State.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Dr. B. Mishra, in his power point presentation, gave details of the academics, research and extension activities of the SKUAST, Jammu. He dwelt on the initiatives taken by the varsity for developing new varieties of seeds of various crops, promotion of cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants. He said that four new Krishi Vigyan Kendras are being set up at Udhampur, Kishtwar, Ramban and Samba.
The Council also approved a new project to study the impact of deficient and untimely rainfall on the agriculture of rainfed areas in the Jammu region. It was decided that the Vice Chancellor, SKUAST (Kashmir) would also initiate a similar suitable project.
The Vice Chancellor, SKUAST, Kashmir, Dr. Anwar Alam, the Vice Chancellor, GADVASU, Ludhiana, Dr. V. K. Taneja, Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production, M. I. Khandey, Commissioner/Secretary, Finance, Sudhanshu Pandey, Principal Secretary to the Governor, Raj Kumar Goyal and Registrar, SKUAST, Jammu, Dr. R. K. Sharma were among those who participated in the meeting.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 IST