Srinagar, Dec 11: The Division of Vegetable Science, Faculty of Horticulture at SKUAST-Kashmir, Wednesday concluded Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programmes (E-SDP) with special emphasis on rural women.
Sponsored by the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, the programmes focused on empowering educated, unemployed women in Ganderbal district through entrepreneurial and technical training in the vegetable sector.
The training themes included “Composting Entrepreneurship: Opportunities and Insights” coordinated by Dr. Syed Berjes Zehra, “Organic Farming in Vegetable Cultivation” coordinated by Dr. Ummyiah H. Masoodi and “Low-Cost Protected Cultivation of Vegetable Crops” coordinated by Dr. Gazala Nazir. Each programme enrolled 25 participants and featured expert lectures, demonstrations, exposure visits and hands-on sessions.
Participants were trained in key aspects of vegetable entrepreneurship, including organic farming, composting, year-round vegetable cultivation, and commercial production. The trainings also covered essential business skills such as market analysis, business planning, and scaling operations. As part of the initiative, participants received agricultural tool kits, vegetable seeds and vermicompost to support their entrepreneurial endeavours.
The programmes, conducted in Harran, Batwina, and Zazuna villages of Ganderbal district, concluded with remarks by Prof. Asif Bashir Shikari, who emphasized the alignment of the initiative with the Government of India’s vision for self-sufficiency and rural entrepreneurship. He highlighted the significance of such programs in generating employment opportunities and fostering sustainable development in rural areas.
