Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 17: Three days 2nd J&K Agricultural Science Congress concluded at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu. On the third day of the Congress H.U. Khan, founder Vice Chancellor of SKUAST-J was the chief guest.
Prof. A.S. Bali, convener of the Congress presented crisp recommendations of the Congress Prof. Dilip K. Arora, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-J in his remarks emphasized the need for translation of the recommendations of the Congress into increased food production and livelihood security of the farmers of the region by presenting a status paper of recommendations to the Government. Chief guest emphasized that the University should focus on specialty crops of the region namely, olive, saffron and walnut for being more completive in the international market.
During the Congress more than 400 delegates participated and presented their work through more than 100 oral and 300 poster presentations. There were 10 technical sessions chaired by eminent scientists of country covering 11- sub themes addressing emerging issues like, ecologically safe & sustainable agriculture production, enhancing production of livestock, climate change and its impact on agriculture , Bio-technological approaches for crop improvement, crop diversification and novel molecules from medicinal and aromatic plants. The Congress also organized farmer- scientist interaction session. An exhibition showcasing agro-technologies was also displayed during the Congress.
The highlight of the Congress was the thought provoking Sher-e-Kashmir memorial lecture by Prof. Swapan Kumar Datta, Deputy Director General (Crop Science), ICAR, New Delhi on “Bio-engineered crops: Change with time.”. Other prominent speakers of the concluding day were Prof. A.K. Srivastava, Director, NDRI, Karnal , Dr. B. Gangwar, Project Director, FSR, Modipuram, Prof. A.K. Koul, Dean, BGSBU , Rajouri, Dr. R.K. Thakur, PC, AICRP on Honybee and Pollinators, Hisar. At the end concluding the congress Dr. Bikram Singh, Organizing Secretary presented vote of thanks.