LEH: More than 60 farmers from Nyoma, Muth and Nidder participated in a farmer awareness programme organised by the Agromet Field Unit (AMFU), Leh, at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Nyoma, with experts focusing on weather-based advisories, soil health and value addition of farm produce.
The one-day programme was held on August 21 on the theme “Importance of Weather-Based Agroadvisory Services in Agriculture” to help farmers use weather information for agricultural planning and management in Eastern Ladakh’s Changthang region.
Ms Kaneez Fatima, Technical Officer, AMFU Leh, explained the role of weather-based agroadvisory services in helping farmers make timely decisions on agricultural operations. She said Ladakh has only one AMFU, located at the School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SAS&T), Stakna, Leh, University of Ladakh, while 134 such units operate across India.
She said the advisories are provided under the Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS) programme of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune. The service combines weather forecasts with recommended agricultural practices to help farmers reduce weather-related risks and improve crop production.
Dr Phuntsog Tundup, Head, KVK Nyoma, addressed the farmers on soil management and the need for sustainable practices suited to Ladakh’s conditions. With organic farming being promoted in the region, he discussed natural farming methods including Jeevamrit and Beejamrit for maintaining soil health and fertility.
Dr Tashi Dolkar spoke about vegetable value addition and preservation, particularly in view of the severe winter conditions in Eastern Ladakh. She explained that processing, preservation and proper storage of vegetables during summer could help maintain their availability through the winter months.
She also discussed value addition of milk and preparation of traditional products such as dried cheese, which could provide additional income to farmers while making better use of locally available resources.
The programme also provided farmers an opportunity to interact with agricultural experts and gain practical knowledge on weather advisories, soil management, natural farming and farm-product processing.
The programme concluded with an emphasis on adopting sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural practices suited to the agro-climatic conditions of Eastern Ladakh.
