Agriculture Production Department J&K in collaboration with Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu has launched the Kisan Sampark Abhiyan for organising Rural Credit Workshops under the Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project in UT of J&K (JKCIP). The campaign was formally rolled out across all 10 districts of the Jammu region under under the leadership of Prof. B.N. Tripathi, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor and Shri Sandeep Kumar (IFS), Mission Director, JKCIP.
Hon’ble MLA Ramnagar Dr Sunil Bhardwaj, DDC Sh. Mool Raj ji, BDC Chairman Sh Des Raj Ramnagar graced the occasion at village Kaghote, Ramnagar in Udhampur district. Muzaffar Iqbal Khan MLA Thanamandi inaugurated the programme at Rajouri, Dr. Bharat Bhushan, MLA Kathua alongwith Mr. Raghunandan DDC Kathua launched the event at Kathua. DDC Chairman Tazeem Akhter alongwith DDC member Sohail Malik graced the programme at Surankote, Poonch. . Mr Pankaj Kumar Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar led the programme at Indra Nagar, Kishtwar
The guests encourage farmers to take full advantage of the schemes, especially the easy credit facilities designed to foster agricultural development. They emphasised the importance of farmer participation in such programmes to enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainability in the agriculture sector.
The inaugural events witnessed the participation of over 2000 farmers simultaneously, who received detailed information on the credit facilities available in the agriculture sector through various schemes of the Government of Jammu & Kashmir and the Central Government. As part of JKCIP implementation, 45 blocks each in the Jammu and Kashmir regions have been identified for targeted interventions. In these selected blocks, 150 Rural Credit Workshops will be organised in each region, making a total of 300 workshops across the Union Territory.
The workshops included special sessions on JKCIP components, covering areas such as upscaling collectivisation through the formation of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), promotion of agri-niche crops, development of horticulture crops, support for startups and incubation, and strengthening of market linkages. In addition, bank representatives from Lead Banks and other financial institutions conducted dedicated sessions on the availability of credit and financing procedures to support farmers in availing various schemes.
To further strengthen farmer awareness, comprehensive literature was distributed to each participant. This included a detailed booklet on JKCIP components and ten flyers covering various Government schemes such as the PMFBY, KCC, Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Fund, Kisan Credit Card, JKCIP loan products, and the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) etc.
JKCIP is jointly implemented by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Agriculture Production Department, Government of J&K, with a focus to enhance competitiveness, sustainability, and income opportunities in the agriculture and allied sectors. The Kisan Sampark Abhiyan is expected to play a vital role in empowering farmers with the knowledge, resources, and confidence to take full advantage of the opportunities provided under this ambitious project.
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