Farmers in Jammu benefit from HADP: Bicycle Man of India

Pulwama: Neeraj Kumar Prajapati, famously known as the “Bicycle Man of India,” has highlighted the significant benefits of the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) for farmers in Jammu.
Neeraj, who recently completed a 1,100-kilometer bicycle ride across six districts to promote horticulture schemes, observed that while farmers have gained from the initiative, there are pressing challenges that need attention.
“Farmers across Jammu have expressed their appreciation for HADP, but they want its scope to be broadened to address issues such as crop damage caused by monkeys and wild boars,” Neeraj said.
He explained that many farmers face significant losses as these animals destroy new orchards and pluck unripe fruits.
“Farmers are requesting that the programme include measures to protect their crops from these animals,” he added.
During his journey, Neeraj also observed that farmers in areas like Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban and Udhampur rely on portable tanks to store rainwater for irrigation. However, the current provision of four to five tanks per village is insufficient to meet the growing demand. “Farmers have urged that the number of water storage tanks be increased and that adequate budgetary provisions be made to address this need promptly,” he noted.
Despite these challenges, Neeraj praised the efforts of the horticulture department in Jammu, which has been working effectively despite staff shortages. “I was impressed with the dedication of the horticulture department, which has been supporting farmers despite limited resources,” he remarked.
Neeraj’s 1100 kilometre mission horticulture bicycle journey took him through Samba, Kathua, Bani, Bhaderwah, Doda, Kishtwar, Batote, Ramban, and Reasi. The initiative aimed to create awareness about organic farming and the benefits of horticulture schemes under HADP.
Earlier, Neeraj undertook a similar journey across ten districts of Kashmir to promote the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) and other agricultural schemes, highlighting the valley’s niche crops like Saffron and Mushk Budji.