ICAR-CITH, KVK Baramulla hold farmer outreach under VKSA

Posted by admin_kas on 2025-06-05 23:22:26 |

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KS News Desk 

Baramulla, June 05: As part of the ongoing Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA), expert teams from ICAR-CITH and KVK Baramulla, in collaboration with allied government departments, Thursday organised farmer outreach programs across nine villages in various blocks of Baramulla district.

Dr. Neeraj, Subject Matter Specialist in Plant Protection at ICAR-CITH, addressed key challenges in apple and cherry cultivation, focusing on integrated pest and disease management.

He provided practical solutions for leaf blotch and aphid infestations in apple crops, as well as blast and brown spot diseases in rice, equipping farmers with effective control strategies.

Vishal Vihan, Subject Matter Specialist in Agricultural Extension, educated farmers about vital government initiatives, including Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), PM-KISAN Soil Health Card scheme.

He also explained the benefits of Custom Hiring Centres, which promote farm mechanization and help reduce input costs.

Karan Chhabra, Subject Matter Specialist in Agrometeorology, conducted interactive sessions on the Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS) scheme, a joint initiative by IMD and ICAR. He highlighted the services of the District Agromet Unit at KVK Baramulla, which provides hyper-local weather advisories to help farmers to optimise sowing and harvesting schedules, mitigate weather-related risks, such as hail damage in apple orchards, itilize crop weather insurance for financial security.

The sessions were held in Uri, benefiting farmers from Thajal, Nambla, and Mohra villages.

The VKSA will continue its outreach until June 12, 2025, with more programs planned across the district to empower farmers with science-led solutions.

Among these KVK teams, one is led by Dr. Wasim Hassan Raja, Head of ICAR-CITH KVK Baramulla, another by Dr. Shoaib Nissar Kirmani, Subject Matter Specialist in Horticulture, and third by  Vishal Vihan, Subject Matter Specialist in Agricultural extension.