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Priya Singh
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has called agriculture and allied sectors a major new opportunity for youth entrepreneurship, urging young innovators to develop solutions based on the region’s own farming conditions, climate and local challenges.
Sinha made the remarks while inaugurating new infrastructure facilities at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu, and addressing the launch of a startup outreach programme under the Jammu and Kashmir Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project (JKCIP).
The newly inaugurated facilities include the Unnati Girls Hostel, Centre for AI and ML in Agriculture, Centre for Mushroom Research and Innovation, Advanced Sericulture Laboratory, and Centre for Digital Media and Publication.
Sinha said these facilities should not be viewed only as infrastructure, but as support for researchers, entrepreneurs, innovators and farming families in the region.
Highlighting innovations emerging from countries such as the Netherlands, Israel, New Zealand and Brazil, Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir should develop solutions suited to its own requirements instead of simply replicating models from other countries.
He encouraged students and young entrepreneurs to study local farms, farmers, climate and agricultural challenges and turn those problems into opportunities for innovation.
Sinha said changing employment aspirations among young people are creating greater opportunities for entrepreneurship. He urged students to look at their education as a starting point for developing ideas and building enterprises.
He also encouraged young and progressive farmers to explore cold chains, grading, packaging, regional branding and digital marketplaces to add value to agricultural produce and connect products from Jammu and Kashmir with larger domestic and international markets.
The Lieutenant Governor stressed that women must be active participants in the entrepreneurship ecosystem. He called for greater support to women-led Self-Help Groups and Farmer Producer Organisations through access to finance, technology, research and markets.
Sinha said the Startup Outreach Programme aims to take incubation, mentoring and entrepreneurship opportunities to farmers and rural youth, including those who may not have previously had access to such support.
According to him, SKUAST-Jammu has selected more than 150 students for idea incubation and supported 56 promising startups. He called for the university to further strengthen its role in connecting research and technology with farmers and markets.
The programme also saw the felicitation of eight startups, FPOs and rural enterprises for their contribution to agriculture, allied sectors, value addition and rural entrepreneurship.
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