BY C. M. SHARMA
In J&K, Agriculture is the occupation of a majority of the population. It is a land based occupation, but more than 80% of the Geographical Area is reported to
be badly affected by soil erosion. Only around 20% of the degraded forests are treated for restoration. Degradation of forests leading to soil erosion and
depletion of important plant nutrients and organic matter from the invaluable top soil on the surface of the Earth is perhaps the most serious problem being
faced by agriculturists of India, including J&K, though climate change, loss of biodiversity, contamination of food crops by chemical fertilizers and pesticides,
after-effects of COVID-19 pandemic and low economic returns to them, are not lesser.
To operate, guide, supervise and monitor the farming activities at the Panchayat, Block, District, Division and the UT/State Level respectively, the Union
Territory Government must consider establishing a Sustainable Agriculture Development Authority (SADA) that shall strive to ensure ‘Safe food today for a
healthy tomorrow', both physically and economically.
For rain-fed/ dry-land areas, Integrated Watershed Development Approach and for canal irrigated areas, Command Area Development Approach must be
followed as these have stood the test of time in the past. Revenue village and Panchayat must be taken as the ‘Basic Unit of Holistic Development' to take care
of all issues of the farming community, including prevention of land and soil erosion.
Simultaneously, there is a great need to undertake a Comprehensive Census of Agriculture & Allied Disciplines with the use of latest technology to establish
realistic and updated benchmarks of available resources and to identify needs, potential and region/sub-region wise growth strategies that lead to sustainable
outcomes. Digitalization of all relevant data of farmers, whether operating on individual family basis or as a Group or Farmer Producer Organisation, or a
Cooperative Society, can facilitate better planning of activities and their execution. Chances of duplication of benefits as well as remaining left out in the
development process can be minimized through this strategy.
Delineation of degraded forest areas, cultivable waste lands and high slopes must be done for increasing plant density with social forestry trees, honeybee
flora, horticultural trees and to rejuvenate catchments of watersheds. Government may consider norms and conditions for leasing out cultivable wastelands or
other waste lands to Farmer Producer Organisations, Agricultural Cooperatives and entrepreneurs for establishing employment and income generating
ventures. This will augment investment in agriculture and promote agri-business.
Also, delineation must be done of feasibly larger organic areas/ belts instead of smaller clusters in the higher un-irrigated altitudes where existing level of
fertilizer and pesticide consumption is low and less nutrient-exhausted crops of high value are grown. Larger organic areas/ belts/clusters are necessary from
sustainability and economy-of-scale viewpoints. The high potential for organic production, certification, branding and marketing of traditional high value crops
like rajmash, saffron, anardana, millets (bajra, salan, kangni, cheena), gainthia thom (garlic), white honey, medicinal and aromatic plants in specific clusters and
belts has been mentioned several times in the past and doesn't need reiteration. Ban on chemical pesticides and fertilizers, etc., besides augmentation of
organic inputs and bringing all concerned departments and activities within the ambit of organic farming is possible only in well delineated and duly notified
organic areas & under-conversion areas.
SADA proposed above can ensure perfect coordination, synergy and convergence between all concerned Departments and Institutions, both in the private
and public sector. The single line of command under SADA, with responsibility of Agriculture & Allied Sectors only at above mentioned 5 levels, can be more
effective than the already overburdened committees at District Level under District Development Commissioners. For greater effectiveness of the proposed
SADA, inclusion of members from PRIs, Progressive Farmers, etc. must be considered.
After 7 years of implementation, there is a need for the government to undertake an impact analysis of the Soil Health Card Scheme, which was launched in
February 2015. Also, the district-wise and block-wise status of major and micronutrient testing facilities in soil testing labs and application of fertilizers and
manures by farmers as per soil test reports must be studied. Subsidized fertilizers should be issued to those farmers only who apply these as per soil test
report.
Through policy of ‘Ease of Doing Business' and financial support (feasible relaxations), private sector of credibility must be encouraged to develop local
entrepreneurship for establishment of Quality Plant nurseries, Agri-Business Centres, Farm Machinery Banks, Hubs and Custom Hiring Centres for improved Farm
Machinery and Equipments, Artificial Insemination Centres for animals, Fish Rearing Ponds, Silkworm Rearing Units, etc. to meet requirements in each village and
panchayat. To facilitate transformation in rural areas, particularly the higher hills and to attract/retain the youth in farming, incentives for opening outlets on a wider
scale and use of power operated and even solar operated agricultural machinery and equipments like tillers, diggers, planters, harvesters, reapers cum binders,
threshers, driers, sprayers, etc. and micro-irrigation systems with special focus on horticultural, floricultural, aromatic and medicinal crops is essential. These reduce
drudgery, improve work efficiency and also fascinate the youth.
Despite awareness regarding ill effects of indiscriminate use of fertilizers and pesticides, most of the farmers still do not hesitate to apply overdoses or with un-
recommended methods. Therefore, availability of Biofertilizers, Bioagents (organisms that kill the pests) and biopesticides, botanical pesticides, etc. need to be
augmented by the concerned Departments, Research Institutions, and Universities and also through encouragement of investment in Private sector to support
integrated crop nutrient and pest management. Organic manures for farming are becoming rare as continued migration of people from rural areas, especially from
the hilly districts, leaves animal husbandry, the main source of organic manures, in a lurch. Earlier, almost every farming household used to keep cattle, goat or
sheep, poultry, etc., but now, these are being abandoned. Dairies are coming up, but sporadically. Here too, the proper disposal, decomposition and use of dung as
well rotted farmyard manure, compost and vermicompost, etc. is not popular. The training and investment in improved and easy methods in waste management,
manure and organic waste decomposers, preparation and use of ‘panchgavya' and vermicomposting technology and other organic/bio-pesticides/bio-fertilisers
needs to be extensively propagated and promoted through public and private channels so that crops are adequately and properly nourished.
Only about 26% of net cultivated area in Jammu region is irrigated and that too, mainly through the Ranbir Canal, Ravi-Tawi Lift Irrigation Scheme and
Pratap Canal. The Ranbir Canal was constructed more than 118 years ago during the Dogra rule. Quite often, it gets breached at various places now.
Recently, it got breached at village Dharap and the rice farmers in about 23 thousand hectares area went without irrigation water for a pretty long time. Tail
ends of the canals mostly remain dry. Moreover, these canals of Jammu division are subject to annual closing during winter months for desilting, maintenance
and repairs. A permanent solution needs to be found for this interruption in irrigation water supply. One of the suggestions is to declare the Ranbir Canal as a
State Heritage as recommended by some experts. This will ensure proper upkeep and improvement of the Canal in focus, always. It is also suggested that the
Canal banks be fixed with Solar Panels for electricity generation, as along the Sabarmati River Front in Gujarat.
It is heartening to learn that work on Shahpur-Kandi Canal to irrigate about 32000 hectares of additional area in Kathua-Samba districts is under progress.
Agriculture and allied departments and the Wildlife Department must work in close coordination to find a feasible remedy to prevent losses to farmers by Monkey
menace which is impeding crop and fruit production in over 15000 hectare area of Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur, Doda, Ramban and Rajouri districts of
Jammu division.
The J&K UT has to depend for most of the Certified and quality Seed from outside. Production, processing and open sale of all crop seeds, including
vegetables and maize must be focused in specific areas within the UT by providing technology support and higher financial assistance to farmers and private
entrepreneurs for establishing seed villages. Also, use of bio-technology through Tissue Culture needs to be standardized and initiated in J&K for faster, higher
and ‘true-to-(original) type' seed production of crops like saffron and potato.
Procurement of Maize crop on Minimum Support Price fixed by Government of India, has continued to be ignored in J&K so far. Maize farmers of Rajouri,
Poonch, Reasi, Udhampur, Kathua districts are the main deprived of its benefits and they sell their marketable surplus of maize at much below the MSP
(distress sale). Establishment of maize procurement centres in the said districts would facilitate farmers in earning remunerative returns. Encouraging
investment for establishing Maize Processing (Value Addition) Units for Starch, Poultry feed, Popcorn/Sweet corn, etc. in production areas will give additional
advantage.
The government has tried to help the farmers of J&K in general and small and marginal farmers in particular, by specifying One agricultural Product for One
District (OPOD) to be assisted in providing end-to-end linkage from initiating the production process till marketing of the produce. However, in view of large
variability of agro-climate within a comparatively small geographical area like the district and even the block, different kinds of good quality high value products
are found growing in different pockets / clusters of the same district/Block in the same season. It would be still better if one Product is specified for One Block
(OPOB) so that most of the farmers of every Block and more high value products of the same district are brought in the production-marketing chain.
In view of the frequent and huge perils faced by farmers in crop production, Crop Insurance scheme (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana) should be
implemented in all the districts and government share of Premium must be justifiably increased by proportionately increasing the assistance to farmers under
PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana. The incremental financial assistance under Kisan Samman Nidhi could be utilized for meeting the premium cost, fully or
partly, depending upon resources with the government.
It is the right time for the government to convert problems into opportunities in J&K agriculture.
(The Author is Retd. Dy. Director of Agriculture, J&K Govt, Jammu) Email: cmohan.sharma16@gmail.com
