One day “PGR/Farmer Rights Awareness Camp cum Biodiversity Fair” was organized by ICAR-NBPGR Regional Station Srinagar at Village Nagbal, District Budgam of Jammu & Kashmir on 26th September, 2020. Nagbal falls under Yusmarg area in Central Kashmir District of Budgam and is located at an elevation of 2395m. A total number of 200 local tribal farmers including 28 women attended the camp. Sarpanch of the ST Halqa Nagbal, Mr. Bashir Ahmad Bani and other Panchs were present on the occasion. During the camp scientists of the Station as well as from Dryland Agriculture Research Station (DARS) SKUAST (K) Budgam and ICAR-IGFRI Regional Station Srinagar interacted with the farmers about importance, value and advantages of local plant genetic resources like linseed, local maize, wheat, pulses especially rajmash, local forage grasses etc. and need for their conservation in the farmer fields. The relevance of these traditional crops to the livelihood and nutritional security of tribal people especially under prevailing climatic uncertainties was also deliberated upon by the expert scientists. 200 seed packets of cool-season perennial tall fescue forage grass and 200 kits of small agricultural implements each consisting of a sickle, pruning secateurs and a garden shovel were distributed among the farmers on the occasion. Refreshment was provided to the farmers during the event. The farmers of the area as well as Village Panchayat hailed ICAR-NBPGR in general and ICAR-NBPGR Regional Station Srinagar in particular for organizing this camp in such a remote tribal area. The event was briefly reported in Kashmir Reader, daily English newspaper dated 27th September, 2020.

In the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic, adequate preventive measures including distribution of face masks and sanitizers among the farmers were followed during the event.

(Source: Sheikh M Sultan, Officer-in-Charge, ICAR-NBPGR Regional Station Srinagar