‘Land conversion for non-agricultural use in Kashmir big threat to sustainability’

ZT News Network
Srinagar: Large-scale conversion of agricultural land into non agricultural use shall create an imbalance in the agricultural eco system as the change in land pattern would be the greatest concern to our food security and economic sustainability in this part of temperate region which
otherwise has the potential to be world leader because of its unique
identity in agro based products.

These views were expressed by Director Agriculture Kashmir Altaf Aijaz Andrabi while inaugurating day long workshop on land conversion for non agricultural use – its catastrophic effect on our sustenance which was organised by the Joint Directorate of Agriculture Extension Kashmir at Lalmandi, Srinagar today.

Director Agriculture added that change in land use pattern has arguably
been the most pervasive socio economic force which has caused imbalance
in the eco system. Cessation of this pattern is a critical element in achieving
long term economic growth and sustainable development of the society as
a whole but the land use policy has to be designed in a way that it should
strike a balance between private proprietary right and public interest, he
added.

Andrabi said that according to the census report published by the Union
Agriculture Ministry and as per the latest National Agriculture Census
agriculture land in J&K UT continues to shrink and the average size of
holding has reduced from 0.62 hectare per person to 0.59 hectare in the
last five years.

Director said that keeping in view the catastrophic effect of rapid land
conversion this one day training program has been designed to develop the
understanding of the field functionaries of the Department of Agriculture
about the implications of the land conversation and to educate them about the implementation of J&K Agrarian Act and J&K Land Revenue Act to stop
conversion of agriculture land.

Director said that it is the prime responsibility of this Department to reach
out to all the media houses, schools, colleges with a message about the
effects of land conversion and to start an effective campaign against this
menace.

While elaborating the need to curb land conversion, Joint Director
Agriculture Extension, Chowhary Mohammad Iqbal presented a detailed
power point presentation on agriculture land conversion and food
security – a thematic analysis. He said that such training programs will
act as a catalyst in educating the officers and other stakeholders about land
conversion.

Various speakers from the Agriculture, Revenue and Irrigation Department
gave presentations on the topic during the day long programme.
The training program was also attended by Joint Director Agriculture
Inputs Amir ud din Andrabi, Project Coordinator Mushrooms Farooq
Ahmad Shah, Director Rakhs and Farms Subash Chandra, Deputy Director
Agriculture Central Dr. Syed Waseem Ahmad Shah, representatives of
Revenue Department, Command Area Development Department, Chief
Engineer Irrigation Department, senior officers of the Department of
Agriculture.