The Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Department, Jammu, today held an awareness programme under the Khet Bachao Abhiyan at Pangiri village in Zonal Bomal, Block and Sub-Division Akhnoor, aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and educating farmers on soil health and resource conservation.
The campaign, which runs from October 22 to November 30, 2026, will reach every village across the Jammu Division.
Addressing the gathering, Regional Level Subject Matter Specialist (SMS) Ashwani Kumar underlined the need for sustainable practices to protect soil fertility and boost farm productivity. He advised farmers to apply fertilisers in a balanced manner according to soil requirements, promote natural farming and make effective use of organic resources. He also urged them to diversify crops, especially towards pulses and oilseeds, conserve water through micro-irrigation and follow scientific farming methods to cut cultivation costs and raise incomes.
Assistant Entomologist Harvinder Singh spoke on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as an effective and environment-friendly approach to crop protection. He sensitised farmers to the judicious use of pesticides, timely identification of pests and diseases, and the adoption of preventive and biological control measures to minimise crop losses and safeguard beneficial organisms. He encouraged them to follow scientific crop protection practices for safe and sustainable production.
The programme also covered water conservation, micro-irrigation, post-harvest management, better market linkages and sustainable mechanisation, with the objective of lowering input costs, preserving natural resources and improving farmers’ earnings.
Those present included SDAO Akhnoor Vijay Pal Chaudhary, SMS-SDL Jatinder Singh and Ashmeeta Sharma, besides scientists from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Jammu, field officers of the Agriculture Department and around 80 farmers, among them members of women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
The Khet Bachao Abhiyan seeks to strengthen grassroots awareness and encourage farmers across the Division to adopt resource-efficient, climate-resilient and sustainable farming practices for long-term soil conservation and better rural livelihoods.
