JAMMU: The Department of Horticulture Jammu organised a one-day Capacity Building-cum-Training Programme for farmers, especially targeting the empowerment of women at Pargwal under the chairmanship of Member Legislative Assembly Akhnoor, Mohan Lal Bhagat.

The event witnessed the presence of Director Horticulture Jammu, Gul Sayed, Chief Horticulture Officer Jammu, Rakesh Kotwal, District Level Subject Matter Specialist, Rakesh Bhagat and Horticulture Development Officer Khour Amit Saraf.

The programme drew a large number of farmers from the area, with especially enthusiastic participation from women folk. The strong turnout reflected the keen interest among local farming communities to adopt modern practices and value addition techniques.

An on-spot demonstration session was conducted for the participants on making pickle, jam, squash and other value-added products. Experts explained the processes in detail and answered farmers' queries, encouraging them to adopt such techniques to increase their income and reduce post-harvest losses.

Speaking on the occasion, the MLA stressed the importance of setting up small-scale fruit processing units in the block, especially for women and unemployed youth. He said such initiatives would not only make them self-reliant but also generate employment opportunities for other unemployed people in the area. He called upon the youth and women folk of Pargwal to come forward, adopt modern horticulture practices and avail themselves of government support for entrepreneurship development.

Director Horticulture Jammu delivered an in-depth awareness session on various government schemes run by the Department of Horticulture for the welfare of farmers. He highlighted the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) and other Centrally Sponsored Schemes. He urged the participants to take advantage of these schemes for establishing nurseries, protected cultivation structures, micro-irrigation systems and processing units.

CHO also addressed the gathering, specifically encouraging women farmers to actively participate in the department's schemes. He emphasized the role of women in value addition and entrepreneurship, noting that with proper training and support, they can significantly improve their livelihoods.

As part of the programme's concluding activities, the MLA distributed fruit plants among the participants to promote orchard development in the region. He also ceremoniously handed over the keys of tractors to the beneficiaries under the HADP scheme, marking a significant step towards farm mechanisation in the area.

The event concluded with a formal vote of thanks delivered by Horticulture Development Officer, Khour. He expressed gratitude to the dignitaries, officers, and especially the large number of farmers-including many women, for their active participation and assured continued support from the Department of Horticulture to strengthen farmer livelihoods and promote sustainable horticulture practices in Pargwal and surrounding areas.