National Centre for Organic and Natural Farming, Ghaziabad in collaboration with Sher-e-
Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu organized 30 days
certificate course for youth on Organic and Natural Farming. Prof. J.P.Sharma, Hon’ble Vice
Chancellor, SKUAST-Jammu was the Chief Guest of inaugural function at Smart Class Room of NAHEP-SKUAST IDP Jammu. He discussed the importance of organic farming in maintaining the soil health that excludes the use of synthetic inputs in farming and relies on on-farm inputs such as crop residues, farmyard manure, enriched composts, vermi-compost, oil cakes, bio- fertilizers etc for nutrient management of crops. The pests and diseases are managed by eco- friendly farming practices of crop rotation, pheromone traps, bio-pesticides like neem-based formulations, bio control agents, mechanical traps and stale seed bed. Dr. Manoj Kumar, Assistant Director, NCONF, Ghaziabad also briefed the participants about the initiatives taken by the centre for promotion of natural farming.
Dr. Parshant Bakshi, Incharge, Centre for Organic and Natural Farming of SKUAST-J also discussed that the prime focus of the natural farming is enrichment of soil health in mitigating the climate change and global warming by reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers and microbes by the formulations like Jeevamrut, Panchgavya from desi cow dung and urine. He also apprised that out of 62 applications received, 30 participants are selected from different regions of J&K UT Samba, Kathua, Akhnoor, Udhampur, Poonch, Baramulla, Rajouri, Anantnag, Jammu, Srinagar, Ladakh region.
The other statutory officers who attended the function were Dr. Pardeep Wali, Director Research, Dr. S.K.Gupta, Registrar and Dean, Faculty of Horticulture and Forestry, Dr. B.C.Sharma, Dean Agriculture and Coordinator, NAHEP-IDP, Dr. S.E.H. Rizvi, Dean, Basic Science, Dr. Bharat Bhushan, Joint Registrar, Head of Divisions and technical staff of NAHEP.
The function was coordinated by Dr. A.P.Rai, Dr. Balbir Dhotra, Gharu Ram, Reetika Sharma
and Megha Patidhar. Dr. Parshant Bakshi, Course Director presented vote of thanks at the end.
