Srinagar, November 11 (KNS): Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday called for taking technology-driven agricultural solutions to the village level, asking Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) to roll out its newly inaugurated smart irrigation system among farmers within a year.

He also set a target of establishing at least 100 student-led startups from the university campus during the coming year, with a focus on agricultural entrepreneurship and employment generation.

Inaugurating four infrastructure facilities at SKUAST-K, Sinha said agricultural research must translate into tangible benefits for farmers, particularly small and marginal cultivators.

"The real success of any modern technology or modern tools will come only when their benefits reach the small farmers in villages and bring about a real increase in their incomes," he said.

The solar-powered Internet of Things (IoT)-based irrigation and fertigation system inaugurated on the occasion is designed to regulate the supply of water and nutrients to crops. Sinha asked the university to take the technology to villages and involve farmers in its further improvement.

He also stressed the need to convert sensor-generated data into simple agricultural advisories in local languages and disseminate them through digital platforms.

On entrepreneurship, the LG asked the university to encourage students to establish enterprises in areas such as seed testing, cold-chain management and soil health services.

"We must make data and technology partners of the farmer. Our goal should be to establish at least 100 student-led enterprises and startups from the SKUAST-Kashmir campus within the coming year," he said.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

He called for stronger linkages between research laboratories, cooperative societies, farmer-producer organisations and farmers, while emphasising the participation of women and youth in agricultural programmes.

The other facilities inaugurated included a Prototype Design and Development Centre, a Directorate of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and a Health and Wellness Centre.

The Prototype Design and Development Centre is aimed at facilitating the development of agricultural tools and technologies, while the Directorate of Innovation and Entrepreneurship will support students in establishing ventures.

Referring to the challenges posed by climate change, Sinha called for greater emphasis on sustainable agriculture and environmental protection.

He said the progress of the agricultural sector should be assessed through improvements in farmers' incomes, economic security and employment opportunities in rural areas.

The LG also referred to the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), saying its projects and farmer-centric policies had contributed to strengthening Jammu and Kashmir's rural economy.

On the occasion, a coffee table book documenting the achievements of SKUAST-K was released. A Multi-Tier Data Management and Accreditation Workflow System was also launched.

Minister for Agriculture Production, Finance, Mining and Cooperatives Javid Ahmad Dar, SKUAST-K Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, SKIMS Director Prof Mohammad Ashraf Ganie, Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Akshay Labroo and other officials attended the event. (KNS)