Agriculture Directorate Jammu celebrates World Soil Day
JAMMU : The Directorate of Agriculture today organised a function to celebrate World Soil Day.
Director Agriculture Jammu, K. K. Sharma emphasized upon all the stakeholders including Farmers, Officers, Officials, and others to generate awareness amongst the society to help protect the Soil Health. The programme was organized by the Agriculture Chemist section of the Directorate.
In a fervent appeal to the farmers, the Director Agriculture listed some remedial measures for maintaining soil health including Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) of the soil by incorporating the organic manures and inorganic fertilizers in an appropriate ratio, prevention of the stubble burning by making use of super seeders in sowing of the crops especially wheat, ensuring use of Micro-Nutrients/Bio-Fertilizers and Bio-pesticides. He advised the farmers to use Chemical Fertilizers, Pesticides only on the recommendations of the Agriculture experts of the department and apply the fertilizers as per the Soil Health Cards recommendations.
The Director cautioned against the indiscriminate use of the chemicals as it may lead to a catastrophe and ultimate reduction in overall production. According to estimates, cultivable soil in India may reduce to 100 million hectares from approx. 140 million hectare in the near future if current trend continues.
He enjoined upon the Extension Agency of the Department to organize sensitization programmes on the Soil Health at Panchayat level on regular intervals and ensure that the Soil Health card recommendations are adopted by the farmers.
The Officers including Joint Director of Agriculture (Inputs) A.S. Reen, Joint Director of Agriculture (Marketing) Mahesh Verma, Joint Director of Agriculture (Farms/SLUB) Vijay Upadhayaya, Agriculture Chemist Aman Jyoti Sharma, Dy. Director (C) Vivek Kohli, Dy. Director Training, Alok Pandotra, Agronomist Vegetable, J.C Raina, Agriculture Economist Yograj Slathia, Soil Survey Officer Suresh Khajuria, ARE, Jammu Er. Viney Bhardwaj, Assistant Agriculture Chemist Pardeep Sharma and other Senior Officers were also present on the occasion.
Neeraj Rajwal, Assistant Soil Chemist, Jammu gives vote of thanks. The similar programmes regarding world soil health day were also held in the different districts of Jammu Division.