Bandipora, Oct 13: A Mega Awareness Programme on the “Oilseed Model Village” (OMV) initiative was held on Sunday at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Bandipora, under the aegis of SKUAST-Kashmir. The event drew participation from over 150 farmers and farm women from various villages across the district.
The programme is part of the Government of India’s broader push to promote oilseed cultivation in an effort to reduce dependency on edible oil imports and strengthen rural economies. In Bandipora, the initiative is being implemented across multiple villages, including Mangnipora, Papchan, Khayar, Panzigam, Asham, Ganasthan, and Kema, with technical support from KVK Bandipora.
Vice Chancellor of SKUAST Kashmir, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, presided over the event as the chief guest. He emphasized the importance of adopting sustainable agricultural practices and highlighted the potential of oilseed cultivation to improve farmers’ livelihoods and economic resilience. Prof. Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi, Director Extension at SKUAST-Kashmir, encouraged farmers to adopt innovative farming techniques to boost productivity and meet the growing demand for edible oil.
Dr. Tariq Sultan, Programme Coordinator at KVK Bandipora, provided an overview of the OMV programme, stressing its goals of achieving self-sufficiency in edible oil production, improving farmers’ socio-economic conditions, and promoting oilseed cultivation as a sustainable alternative crop.
KVK scientists Dr. Tahir Saleem and Dr. Shabir Ahmad Ganai led an interactive session with the farmers, offering expert advice on modern agricultural practices for oilseed cultivation. Farmers had the opportunity to address their queries on oilseed production and other related initiatives.
As part of the event, quality seeds of the Brown Sarson variety ‘Shalimar Sarson-2’ were distributed, covering 800 kanal of land, along with organic fertilizers. The camp concluded with a vote of thanks, marking a significant step toward boosting oilseed production in the region.
