Farmer training program on Micro Irrigation and Water Conservation held in Tumail Sodh Block.

Farmer training program on Micro Irrigation and Water Conservation held in Tumail Sodh Block.
Kargil, 25 January 2025: In line with the directions of Administrative Secretary for Agriculture, Bhupesh Chaudhary, issued during a meeting on 19 January 2025, the Department of Agriculture, Kargil, today organized a one-day farmer training and awareness camp in Tumail village, Sodh Block.
The training focused on the adoption of Micro Irrigation Systems (MIS) and water conservation techniques. A total of 200 farmers participated in the program, which was aimed to address the prevailing drought situation in the region.
The event commenced with the welcoming of Councilor Yourbaltak, Manzoor ul Hussain. The Voter’s Day pledge was also administered to participants by Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO), Ashiq Hussain Basharat.
This was followed by a series of detailed training sessions conducted by departmental officers, resource persons from various line departments, and consultants from FUMIC.
The training began with a lecture by Razia Banoo, State Nodal Officer PM Kisan who emphasized the importance of selecting appropriate crops and crop varieties to improve water use efficiency. She also highlighted the use of mulching techniques to conserve soil moisture and nutrients during periods of drought and water stress.
Dr. Nazir Ahmad, Scientist from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Kargil-1, educated farmers on the significance of adopting MIS during drought conditions and shared agronomical practices for better farmland management. He also demonstrated techniques for producing enriched manures at the farm level and their application in water-deficient agricultural fields.
Ahmad Ali, a consultant from FUMIC, presented a comprehensive PowerPoint display on Micro Irrigation Systems, watershed development, and water conservation practices. He showcased various MIS projects implemented in Kargil and other parts of the country, inspiring participants to adopt these techniques.
Mohd Iqbal, Deputy Director CAD, Kargil, elaborated on the objectives and activities under the PMDC scheme. He provided insights into its application at the farmer level and the subsidies available to mitigate drought conditions. He urged farmers to implement MIS in their fields to sustain agricultural production and productivity in the region.
Addressing the gathering, Councillor Yourbaltak expressed his gratitude to the CAO and the Agriculture Department for prioritizing Tumail village as a pilot project for drought management through MIS. He assured his full support for implementing the initiative and expanding the coverage of MIS in the area.
In his concluding remarks, CAO Kargil underlined the importance of MIS and shared the success stories of similar projects in the Sodh area. He encouraged farmers to embrace this technology and avail themselves of various state and central government schemes to address water scarcity effectively. He emphasized that Tumail village could serve as a model for water management and resource conservation.
The CAO also assured farmers of the Agriculture Department’s full support in combating drought conditions and announced plans to gradually extend the MIS initiative to other villages. He highlighted the potential of efficient water use to maintain crop productivity and promote cash crop cultivation, thereby enhancing the economic well-being of farmers in the region.
The program concluded on a positive note, with farmers expressing their willingness to adopt MIS techniques to combat the challenges posed by water scarcity.