Mohd Shabeer, a farmer associated with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Kargil-1, honored with the National Award for Innovation in Farming. 

The award was presented during the foundation day celebration of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Agriculture Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI), Zone 1, on January 11, in Ludhiana, Punjab. The event was graced by Vice Chancellor PAU, Prof. S Gosal, Director Extension, SKUAST-K, Prof. Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi, and other esteemed dignitaries, with participation from 72 KVKs of North Zone-1.

The foundation day celebration was attended by 72 KVKs of North Zone- 1 from the states of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Mohd Shabeer, a farmer from Pashkum, transitioned from being a daily wage laborer in the HIMANK project to a pioneering agriculturist. In 2013, he commenced vegetable cultivation and homemade pickles, seeking guidance from the Agriculture Department Kargil.

Under the scientific guidance of KVK Kargil, Shabeer ventured into protected cultivation of vegetables in 2015. His collaboration with KVK scientists sparked an interest in integrated farming, incorporating pickle making and establishing a dairy unit, supplemented by income from poultry farming.

Shabeer's entrepreneurial endeavors, encompassing pickle making, protected cultivation, a milk plant, and poultry, yield an annual gross income of approximately ₹33 lakh.

The KVK Kargil, through various initiatives such as training programs, awareness camps, field visits, radio talks, and social media engagement, continuously updates the skills and knowledge of farmers in the Kargil region.