Directorate of Research_Shalimar Srinagar

High altitude agro-ecological situations in Jammu and Kashmir are characterized by marginality, diversity, inaccessibility, fragility and small holder farming situations and therefore development imperatives pose a challenge both for agricultural scientists and development agencies. At a time, when dependence of farmers on agriculture both for food and income security is declining and new generation of youth is moving away from farming, the challenge lies in giving new direction to technological research so as to contain this trend. The state having both wet and dry temperate agro-climatic regions, plenty of water bodies, vast forests and pasturelands, which offer it comparative advantage of diversity of farming cultures, and therefore, redirecting research to bring "Kashmiriyat" in farming systems and make them ecologically appropriate ensuring sustainable livelihoods. Sustainable development in this mountainous state is therefore, possible with the use of scientific methods and packages evolved through in-depth location-specific research approaches incorporating local peoples perceptions.