Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, CEC stressed upon the need to develop regionally suited Agro-technologies for the organic farming system in the region during his visit to DIHAR on January 31.

Stanzin Phunchok, EC Agriculture & Horticulture, Mumtaz Hussain, EC, Forest & Cooperative and councilors also accompanied him.  

Dr. Tsering Stobdan, gave a detail presentation on the mandate and recent rural development activities of the institute. He briefed about the local resources and technologies that have the potential for doubling farmer’s income in Ladakh.

Informing about Raktsey Karpo as a unique genetic resource available only in Ladakh saying that it is the world’s sweetest apricot by DIHAR, he urged LAHDC for GI registration of Raktsey Karpo.  Also, watermelon has been introduced as a new cash crop in Ladakh and this technology has already reached to the farmers with the active involvement of the Agriculture Department, LEHO and LEDeG. Farmers are earning ₹50,000 to 1 Lakh per kanal by growing organic watermelons and they are all set to supply locally grown watermelon to army through Cooperative Marketing Society from this summer onwards.

DIHAR has developed a simple technique for storage of locally grown potatoes from October to June. Using the technology, farmers in Kharu have stored 125 MT of potatoes up to June in 2018. DIHAR urged LAHDC to replicate the Kharu model in other parts of the district to significantly reduce import of potatoes from outside the region.

Dr. Stobdan further told that based on a report submitted by DIHAR and Horticulture Department, they have included Sea buckthorn as a horticultural activity by the Ministry of Environment and Farmers Welfare, GoI in April 2018. Farmers and entrepreneurs will now get incentives from the Govt. for plantation and processing of Sea buckthorn. DIHAR urged LAHDC to promote Sea buckthorn cultivation on a vast barren land.

DIHAR has developed a new passive solar greenhouse wherein cauliflower can be successfully grown during peak winter months in Ladakh. Dr. Stobdan said that cauliflower transplanted in October reached harvesting stage in last week of January. Besides, DIHAR demonstrated the feasibility of growing tomato during winter months even when the outside temperature drops up to -17°C.

He further urged upon the LAHDC to include the DIHAR Greenhouse under Govt schemes so that farmers can adopt the technology.

Jamyang Tsering Namgyal applauded DIHAR for its recently developed Agro-technologies that have reached grass root level benefiting too many local farmers.

He gave assurance that LAHDC will extend all support to take DIHAR developed technologies to farmers’ field for the overall growth of agriculture with cash crops. He urged DIHAR to play a proactive role in transforming Leh into the organic district by 2021.

Stanzin Phuntsog, EC Agriculture also applauded DIHAR for bringing change at grass root level especially in the management of yellow tail moth insect in Hanu and Sham belt.

He asked DIHAR to look for entrepreneurs who can open outlets in Leh market for the sale of seed and other agricultural inputs.

Dr. OP Chaurasia, Director DIHAR said that DIHAR is working closely with Agriculture Department, Horticulture Department, Animal Husbandry Department and local NGOs to take developed technologies to the farmers’ field. He said DIHAR will initiate the case for certification of its experimental farms in organic.

The dignitaries also visited newly developed DIHAR Greenhouse and witnessed the research trials on growing of cauliflower and tomato inside the greenhouse.