Natural Farming: SKUAST-K starts training programmes to empower Ladakh, J&K delegates

Srinagar, April 17: Two training programmes on natural farming were inaugurated Thursday at the Directorate of Extension/SAMETI, SKUAST-Kashmir, under the Centre of Natural Farming, in collaboration with MANAGE Hyderabad, the Department of Agriculture and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
Scheduled to run from April 17 to 20, the programmes aim to enhance the capacities of KVK scientists, state and district officials and Farmer Master Trainers from the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking at the inaugural session, Prof. Nazir Ahmed Ganai, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, praised the Directorate of Extension for its mission-driven approach in promoting natural farming.
“Ladakh is ‘naturally natural’—an ideal setting for scaling sustainable practices,” said Prof. Ganai. “Adoption of natural farming will not only protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem but also ensure food and livelihood security for future generations.”
He also called upon officials to embrace digital solutions, suggesting the development of a dedicated mobile application to maintain a comprehensive database of farmers practising natural farming in Ladakh. Prof. Raihana Habib Kanth, Director Extension/SAMETI, delivered the welcome address, outlining the significance of natural farming in the context of Ladakh’s unique agro-climatic conditions. “This training will empower field-level functionaries and master trainers with the knowledge and tools needed to implement nature-based farming systems,” she noted.
The training modules include interactive sessions on core principles of natural farming, hands-on demonstrations, and field visits to model sites. Participants include scientists from SKUAST-K, resource persons, officials from Leh and Kargil, and a cohort of trained farmer leaders. This initiative marks a vital step towards mainstreaming low-input, ecologically sustainable farming in the Himalayan region, paving the way for climate-resilient agriculture in the UTs of Ladakh and J&K.