Jammu and Kashmir’s economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, with nearly 70% of the population engaged in agricultural activities. Despite its immense potential, the sector faces challenges such as low productivity, post-harvest losses, insufficient processing infrastructure, and limited access to modern technology. Establishing a Directorate of Agricultural Engineering could transform the region’s agricultural landscape by enabling farmers to increase productivity, boost incomes, and create employment opportunities.
Enhancing Agricultural Productivity
Establishing a Directorate of Agricultural Engineering in Jammu and Kashmir has the potential to significantly enhance agricultural productivity by addressing critical challenges and introducing transformative solutions. Precision agriculture, leveraging tools like drones, satellite imagery, and GPS, can revolutionize farming practices by enabling farmers to monitor soil health, detect crop stress, optimize irrigation and fertilizer use, and reduce input costs while boosting yields. For example, saffron cultivation, which has witnessed a 67.5% decline in production over the past decade, can benefit immensely from precision irrigation tailored to its unique needs.
Customized mechanization suited to the region’s mountain agriculture, including compact machinery for small and marginal farmers, specialized equipment for crops like walnuts and apples can reduce labor dependency and improve efficiency. Additionally, introducing renewable energy-powered equipment, such as solar dryers for walnuts and saffron and solar irrigation pumps, alongside IoT-enabled smart devices for real-time data on soil health and weather conditions, would modernize farming and make it more sustainable. Through these initiatives, the Directorate could act as a centralized body to develop region-specific solutions and promote sustainable practices for boosting productivity.
Reducing Post-Harvest Losses
Post-harvest losses are a significant concern for Jammu and Kashmir’s agriculture, particularly for apples and walnuts. Inadequate cold storage capacity (15%) and lack of refrigerated transport often act as market spoilers for the growers. The Directorate can address this by promoting low-cost cooling solutions and creating a robust cold chain infrastructure to preserve perishable crops. The development of processing capabilities, such as for apple juices, dried fruit, and walnut oil, would enhance market access and competitiveness.
Additionally, efficient grading, sorting, storage, packaging and waste reduction strategies can ensure that only the best-quality produce reaches premium markets, reducing wastage and boosting farmers’ incomes. By focusing on enhancing cold chain infrastructure, expanding processing capabilities, and implementing waste reduction strategies, the Directorate can play a pivotal role in mitigating post-harvest losses, boosting farmer incomes, and strengthening the agricultural economy of Jammu and Kashmir.
Promoting Value Addition
Value addition through agro-processing is a key strategy for improving the profitability of Jammu and Kashmir’s agricultural sector. The region produces over 2 million metric tonnes of apples annually, but most are sold fresh without processing leaving room for adopting strategies seen in countries like Poland, where 58% of apple production is processed into juices , concentrates and Apple cider vinegar, or the USA, where nearly half the apple harvest is transformed into value-added products. Processing not only enhances economic opportunities but also creates employment and reduces dependency on volatile fresh produce markets.
The Directorate could promote agro-processing units for apple juice, concentrates, apple cider vinegar, chips, saffron-based products, and dried fruits, enabling farmers to access more lucrative markets. Furthermore, the region has significant potential for developing a robust dairy sector. By processing and promoting dairy-based products, farmers could capitalize on the growing demand for processed dairy products, creating additional income streams and employment opportunities. Additionally, it could assist in branding local products like Kashmiri saffron and walnuts to enhance their global appeal.
Strengthening Irrigation Infrastructure
With 40% of Jammu and Kashmir’s farmland relying on rainfall, strengthening irrigation infrastructure is critical. The Directorate could expand micro-irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation, improving water use efficiency and boosting crop yields. It could also promote water harvesting at the farm level to mitigate the impact of erratic rainfall and reduce farmers’ vulnerability to climate extremes.
Decarbonisation and Renewable Energy Integration
Renewable energy technologies have the potential to revolutionize Jammu and Kashmir’s agricultural sector. The Directorate can lead decarbonisation efforts by integrating renewable technologies such as biogas generation from agricultural and livestock waste with the added potential for hydrogen production, biodiesel production from local oilseeds providing an alternative to fossil fuels for running tractors, generators, and other farm machinery paving the way for sustainable energy solutions. These initiatives would not only rejuvenate the agricultural sector but also align with global climate goals, ensuring ecological balance and long-term sustainability for Jammu and Kashmir’s farming communities.
Conclusion
As duly encouraged by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare establishing a Directorate of Agricultural Engineering in Jammu and Kashmir is crucial for revitalizing the agricultural sector. By promoting precision agriculture, reducing post-harvest losses, encouraging value addition in dairy and horticulture, strengthening irrigation infrastructure, and integrating renewable energy solutions, the Directorate can enhance productivity, create employment, and ensure long-term sustainability for the region’s farmers. This transformation would not only improve the livelihoods of over 33 lakh people dependent on agriculture but also position Jammu and Kashmir as a leader in agricultural innovation and sustainability.
(Author is a faculty at Rajasthan University of veterinary and Animal Sciences Jaipur)
