On December 09, 2024, the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), in collaboration with the Mission Directorate HADP under Project 20, hosted the Agriculture Innovation Summit 2024. The event aimed to explore innovative solutions for advancing agriculture startups and businesses across Jammu and Kashmir.
Agriculture Minister Javid Ahmad Dar was the chief guest at the summit. The program featured startup pitching sessions, panel discussions, and the inauguration of the Student Rural Internship-Mobile Agri-Clinics, flagged off by the minister. A documentary titled HADP Impact also premiered during the opening ceremony at Nund Rashi Hall.
In his keynote address, Agriculture Minister Javid Ahmad Dar praised SKUAST-K for spearheading agricultural innovation and highlighted the government’s support for youth-led agripreneurship. He commended the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) for its potential to revolutionize the agriculture sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
Dar emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between SKUAST-K and line departments, urging the university to focus on grassroots connectivity, practical implementation of research, and scaling up innovative solutions. He stressed that agriculture must be made more lucrative for farmers, students, and the community at large.
SKUAST-K Vice Chancellor Prof. Nazir Ahmad Gani welcomed the minister and provided an overview of the university's ongoing initiatives. Mission Director HADP Rahul Yadav elaborated on the functioning of HADP and JKCIP, while CGM NABARD Partho Saha emphasized the importance of ensuring innovation reaches the farming community.
The event also featured an exhibition of startup stalls set up by SKUAST-K and line departments, showcasing a range of innovative agricultural solutions. Innovators who pitched their ideas during the event were felicitated by the minister.
The summit witnessed the participation of directors from line departments, SKUAST-K faculty, students, startup founders, and farmers, making it a collaborative platform to drive agricultural transformation in the region.
