JAMMU, Aug 21: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday inaugurated several new infrastructure facilities at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)-Jammu and addressed the launch of the Startup Outreach Programme under JKCIP.
The event brought together researchers, innovators, young entrepreneurs and farmers from across the Jammu division.
The newly inaugurated facilities include the Unnati Girls Hostel, Centre for AI and ML in Agriculture, Centre for Mushroom Research and Innovation, Advanced Sericulture Laboratory and Centre for Digital Media and Publication.
Describing the facilities as more than physical infrastructure, Sinha said they reflected a commitment to innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers and farming families of the region.
He highlighted global examples of technology-driven agriculture and urged young people in Jammu and Kashmir to develop solutions based on local farming practices, climate conditions and the specific challenges faced by farmers rather than simply replicating foreign models.
The LG said agriculture and allied sectors were emerging as a major frontier for innovation and encouraged youth to explore opportunities in areas such as cold chains, grading and packaging, regional branding and digital marketplaces.
He also stressed the importance of women’s participation in entrepreneurship and called for greater support to women-led enterprises, Self-Help Groups and Farmer Producer Organisations through access to finance, technology and markets.
Speaking about the Startup Outreach Programme, Sinha said its objective was to take concepts such as incubation, mentoring and venture capital to farmers and youth in villages, including those with limited exposure to the startup ecosystem.
He said SKUAST-Jammu had so far selected more than 150 students for idea incubation and supported 56 promising startups. He urged the university to expand the initiative and strengthen the link between laboratories and markets, scientists and farmers, and technology and grassroots needs.
The LG said the success of SKUAST-Jammu should be measured not only by the number of students graduating but also by the ideas generated, enterprises established and farming families benefiting from innovation.
He also encouraged students to focus on four questions — what problem they can solve, what enterprise they can build, what value they can add to agriculture and how many families could benefit from their ideas.
Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir had the potential to emerge as a hub of innovation, agricultural entrepreneurship, science, technology and youth leadership.
He felicitated eight startups, FPOs and cooperative/rural enterprises for their contribution to agriculture, allied sectors, value addition and rural enterprise development.
Four publications, including the “Policy Document for Promoting Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in J&K”, “Chronicle of Innovation & Startups under RKVY-RAFTAAR, SKUAST-Jammu”, “Value on the Vine: Economic and Market Dynamics of Vegetables” and “Student’s Rural Exploration Programme (SREP)”, were also released.
Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department, Shailendra Kumar; SKUAST-Jammu Vice Chancellor Prof B.N. Tripathi; Director Extension Dr Amrish Vaid; Registrar Dr Anil Kumar; faculty members, senior officials, students, scientists, entrepreneurs and representatives of startups, FPOs and cooperatives attended the event.
