Empowering Women Farmers in Poonch Through the 'Atma' Initiative
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Poonch (Jammu & Kashmir), Dec 11 (NationPress) Under the Central government's Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA or Atma) initiative, the agriculture department in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir has made a pivotal move towards financial empowerment of women.
As part of this initiative, the department is offering training to women in agriculture while also distributing hybrid vegetable plants.
On Wednesday, the Agriculture Department organized a tour for women from the villages of Sathra, Chaktroo, and Chandak to the Poly Greenhouse situated at the district headquarters in Poonch.
The tour was conducted by District Agriculture Officer Dharmendra Singh. During this visit, Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer Charanjeet Singh informed the farmers about the variety of hybrid vegetable plants being cultivated there and also distributed some plants to them.
Salma Akhtar, one of the participants, shared with IANS: "We hail from Sathra village. The agriculture department has welcomed us here. We received seeds for vegetables such as cauliflower and gourd. We will take these seeds home and plant them properly for our benefit. These vegetables will be for our household consumption.
"Our government has supported us significantly, and today we are becoming self-reliant. We express our gratitude to the central government and especially to PM Modi for their assistance."
Zaida, another participant, remarked: "We have formed a group, and everyone here stands united. In the upcoming months, we are expecting to receive mushrooms. We have planted 60 gardens and are cultivating vegetables at home. This government is undertaking remarkable initiatives, enhancing our living conditions. The Modi government is truly commendable, and we anticipate further assistance in the future."
Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer Charanjeet Singh elaborated on the benefits of the scheme, stating, "A special program was organized under the Atma initiative on Wednesday, specifically for women farmers. We arranged an exposure visit at our Chief Agriculture Office Complex.
"Here, we have established a naturally ventilated Poly Greenhouse where we cultivate hybrid vegetable seeds like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and onions. The objective was to demonstrate to the women farmers how we grow these vegetables. We invited 25 women farmers for this exposure visit and also planned to transfer Rs 300 to their accounts via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). We provided them the opportunity to purchase vegetables from the department."
He further remarked: "Our aim is to disseminate the message throughout the farming community via these women farmers, showcasing how agricultural diversification can enhance income. By growing vegetables alongside traditional crops, promoting beekeeping, and mushroom production, we are dedicated to fostering agricultural diversity. We have provided comprehensive information to the women farmers regarding this and suggested they establish a poly house, an agriculture unit, and 100 compost bags on their farms. Through this training, we aspire to demonstrate how agricultural diversification can boost their income and contribute to the prosperity of farmers."
