Jammu, April 28 (IANS) J&K L-G Manoj Sinha on Tuesday urged scientists and other stakeholders to build climate resilience and transform sustainable agro-ecosystems.​

The J&K L-G today attended the National Summit on “Sustainable & Climate Resilient Agroecosystems: Innovations and Policy Framework” at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences & Technology, Jammu.​

He urged scientists, innovators, and other stakeholders to come together to build climate resilience and transform sustainable agro-ecosystems.​

He said that the moment has come to move beyond minor adjustments and embrace bold, science-led, farmer-focused transformation, adding that policies must champion climate-resilient crops. He said that the divide between laboratories and farmland must be closed, and that researchers should make the creation of climate-adapted varieties their highest priority.​

He said that farms are the bedrock of civilisation, the backbone of economies, and the promise of tomorrow.​

He said that every policy and intervention must respect the fact that fields and farmers have carried humanity through centuries of turmoil, adding that the threat of climate change now reaches far beyond the farmer’s field and imperils every life sustained by agriculture and the allied sectors. He said that the urgency of this crisis leaves no room for delay.​

The J&K L-G stated that under the leadership of PM Modi, India leads the fight and in 2024-25, agriculture production hit 357 million tonnes, up 25 million from 2023-24, with horticulture at 362 million tonnes, including high-value crop diversification.​

He said that, ahead of others, India launched nationwide soil testing, distributing 25 crore Soil Health Cards, and that farmer credit limits rose from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, and that Rs 100 crore in funds were allocated for high-productivity seeds under a national mission.​

He said that pulses procurement at Minimum Support Price jumped 7,350 per cent and oilseeds 1,500 per cent since 2013-14. However, he added that climate impacts are intensifying and last year witnessed extreme weather across states.​

The J&K L-G called upon scientists and innovators to make seven commitments: climate-resilient agriculture, farmer-led research partnership, expansion of climate-responsive insurance, green credit, localised climate advisories for all, safeguarding traditional seeds, policy integration, and transparent evaluation.​

He also emphasised precision and regenerative farming, water management, diversification, and technology integration. The J&K L-G said that innovations must reflect real-world needs and not remain confined to seminar rhetoric, adding that governments must scale protection to shield livelihoods from escalating risks.​

He asked banks to prioritise sustainable agricultural financing, conserve heritage varieties as anchors of resilience, align every initiative for seamless and coordinated execution, and assess each programme openly, adapt swiftly, and refine continuously.​

The J&K L-G said that scientists and policymakers must recognise that small and marginal farmers contribute least to climate change yet endure its harshest blows.​

Calling for protection, he said that farmers are not merely producers of grain but custodians of tradition, culture, food security, and the promise of a sustainable future.​

He said that every farmer deserves real-time climate guidance and every field must be treated as a national asset safeguarded with care. He added that the responsibility in agriculture is clear and it must be preserved for generations, calling it a solemn resolve.​

Satish Sharma, Minister for Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Science & Technology; Prof B. N. Tripathi, Vice Chancellor, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences & Technology Jammu; Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General, Meteorology, India Meteorological Department; Prof A. K. Dhawan, President, Indian Ecological Society; Dr S. K. Gupta, Director Research, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences & Technology Jammu; Dr Syed Sheraz Mahdi, Organising Secretary, scientists, academicians, policymakers, experts, and students in large number also attended the inaugural session.​

–IANS

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