Jammu, June 3 (IANS) In a bid to cultivate Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda as a key centre of mushroom cultivation, the Agricultural Department is imparting training to more than 50 women under the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP).

The Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP) is a flagship initiative of the Government of Jammu & Kashmir, designed to revolutionise the agricultural sector through innovation and inclusivity.

All these women undergoing training are associated with the Jammu Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission. Its purpose is to enable and equip women with mushroom production skills and also make them self-reliant in the business.

A couple of beneficiaries spoke to IANS, sharing their experience about the initiative.

Priyanka Chib, a local resident of Doda, said, “For the first time, training is being given by the Agriculture Department of Doda. Through this channel, we are getting a lot of information that will benefit us in the business. Particularly, the women who are getting the training will start a mushroom enterprise on their own and will start earning income from it.”

Susheel Razdan, an official associated with the training program, said that under the HDDP scheme, we are training all these women, and the department is also providing a subsidy to those who want to open their mushroom setup in Doda. Many big mushroom units are being run by people, and now women are also taking up the initiative.

Chief Agriculture Officer Doda Amjad Hussain Malik said, “There are many schemes in the Agriculture Department which are benefiting people. Today we have given training to unemployed women here so that in the future they can also start their own business and earn money from these schemes.”

The HADP scheme spans 29 projects covering agriculture, horticulture, livestock, and research & development, aiming to enhance productivity, empower farmers, and boost the region’s economy. The program aims to transform the agricultural economy of Jammu and Kashmir by promoting sustainability and commercial viability through 75 schemes.

–IANS

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