REASI: A farmer-centric outreach programme was today organized here at Village Sungri, Panchayat Channa B, Block Chassana.
The event was held under the Government of India’s Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) initiative and conducted by SKUAST-Jammu through its ICAR – All India Coordinated Research Programme (AICRP) on Rice, Chatha Centre, in collaboration with the Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare Department.
The programme, under the visionary leadership of Prof. B.N. Tripathi, Vice Chancellor, aimed at promoting sustainable rice cultivation, input support, and livelihood enhancement among Scheduled Tribe (ST) rice farmers of the Mahore region.
Member Legislative Assembly Gulabgarh Er Khurshied Ahmed graced the occasion and appreciated SKUAST-Jammu’s dedicated efforts for tribal farmer welfare. He also highlighted the agricultural potential of the region and stressed the importance of diversification in farming practices.
The event witnessed active support from the Reasi District Administration, including Deputy Commissioner Nidhi Malik, ADDC Sukhdev Singh Samyal and Chief Agriculture Officer Harbans Singh.
Their efforts ensured smooth coordination and farmer-friendly arrangements. A total of 200 Agricultural Input Kits, including a Knapsack Sprayer, a Rake, and 12 kg of Giza Variety Rice Seed, were distributed among the ST rice farmers. The distribution was facilitated by the Agriculture Department team led by SDAO Dharmari Naresh Gupta and supported by AEOs and field staff from the concerned areas in collaboration with SKUAST-Jammu scientists.
Technical sessions led by Dr. Anuradha Saha, Chief Scientist & Incharge, AICRP on Rice, provided farmers with expert guidance on scientific rice cultivation, pest and disease management, and soil health. She was joined by Dr. R.S. Sudan, Dr. Rajan Salalia and Dr. Parveen Singh, who emphasized the importance of adopting natural and organic farming methods for cost-effectiveness, sustainability and better soil conservation.