A Farmer Skill Training (FST) programme was today inaugurated by Director Sericulture J&K, Ajaz Ahamd Bhat in presence of Dr. N.K.Bhatia, Director Central Sericulture Research & Training Institute, CSB, Pampore, Dr. Rajesh Kumar Scientist –D & other faculty members of CSB at Manasbal.
The training is being organized by Central Silk Board at their P4 Basic Seed Farm in association with the Sericulture Development Department. More than 50 farmers of the District Ganderbal and Bandipora are participating in the said training.
Addressing the gathering, Director Sericulture highlighted the need for regular skill up-gradation of rearers to take advantage of the latest technologies at grass roots level in order to boost their confidence to increase the quality of Cocoon and its productivity at optimum level.
He also added in his address that concerted efforts are being made to give impetus to the sericulture and skill up-gradations as a part of the capacity building programme for Silkworm Rearers. He informed that SKUAST and other Institutes are also being approached for organizing Sericulture oriented training Programmes of the industry for Silkworm Rearers.
Bhat said that the Sericulture department is giving focus on addressing critical areas for promotion of Jammu & Kashmir Silk Industry and there is need to fully train the stakeholders in this direction. He also laid stress on resource utilizations and identifying the problems at ground level and called the farmers to fully interact with the Scientists during this training programme.
During the day long tour, the Director also visited the Departmental Nurseries and farms in the District and enquired about the status of cocoon production and took stock vis-a-vis supply of Mulberry sapling to the farmers in the District for quality Cocoon productions.He informed that at the time of any difficulty faced by the silkworm rearers they can directly approach the District officers and Tehsil level officers.
They can also visit technical sections of the Directorate both at Jammu (Mob. 9419518139) and Srinagar (Mob. 9419004960) for any assistance related to Sericulture. On this occasion a mulberry sapling of improved mulberry variety was planted by the Director in the CSB Institute.