Development of Beekeeping units

The demand for honey has increased considerably but there is still wide gap between
consumption and production. Beekeeping as a village Industry is of considerable national
importance. The raw material required for this industry is nectar and pollen from the flowers of
different plant species.
Bee keeping has emerged as an important sector for diversification. It not only provides a
nutritious and healthy food in the form of honey and other products but also improves quality of
produce. Apart from direct economic benefits in the form of honey and bee wax. Bees as a
pollinator help to increase yield of major agricultural, horticultural and forest crops. 85% of crop
plants are cross pollinated as crop needs to receive pollen from other plants of the same species
with the help of honey bees. Increase in Yield of various crops due to pollination by honey bees
ranges from 20-100%.
Doda District with its vast exposure of Bee flora ranging from Bhaderwah to
Assar and Gandoh to Ghat areas has a vast potential for Beekeeping. The farmers of this District
are practicing Beekeeping as subsidiary occupation but there is great scope for expansion of this
sector due to vast flora. To increase honey production, employment generation among
unemployed youth and increase yield of cross pollinated crop, the following activities under the
scheme have been proposed.

 Distribution of Beehives, Bee colonies on 50% subsidy for small units.(10 beehives/ Bee
colonies per unit)
 50% subsidy to unemployed youth for setting up apiculture units of 100 beehives/ Bee
colonies.
 Integrated development of Beekeeping, honey promotion and processing
 Farmers awareness programme

The financial assistance to tune of Rs. 33.50 lacs have been proposed under this plan for the year
2019-20.
 Production and augementation of Vermicompost & Bio gas enriched
slurry for crop production.

There is a growing realisation that vermi-composting provides the nutrients and growth

enhancing hormones necessary for plant growth. The fruits, flowers and vegetables and other

plant products grown using vermi-compost are reported to have better keeping quality. A

growing number of individuals and institutions are taking interest in the production of compost

utilising earthworm activity. Some of them ventured into commercial production as well. As the

cost of production of this compost works out to about Rs.1.5 per kg, it is quite profitable to sell

the compost even at Rs.2.50 per kg.

Organic agriculture is a holistic crop production and management system which

promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, bio-diversity and biological cycles with sustained

productivity, and farm income .It encourages conservation and development of on-farm natural

resources, their optimum utilization through farming practices and effective recycling on and

around the farms in such a manner as to meet the needs of present and future generations to

come.

Therefore, for future development and food security of the nation, working with farm

families, farm resources and farming systems is essential. Moreover, educating the farm families

for adopting organic farming and lack of full fledged scientific cultivation practices is the main

bottle neck for shifting from conventional to organic farming.

Benefits

 Conservation of natural resources.

 Leads production of clean and safe foods and produce.

 Prevents or reduces entry of toxicant in food chain.

 Supports sustained production of crops.

A budget of Rs.285 lakh as assistance has been proposed in year 2019-20 to carry out activities

in the District Doda. 2640 families will be covered for establishing vermicompost units, portable

vermibeds and and installation of Biogas units.

 Promotion of farm Mechanization

Farm machinery and implements are indispensable to derive the benefit of costly inputs

like Hybrid seeds, fertilizer and irrigation. The machinery is required right from proper land

preparation, seeding, fertilizer application, spraying insecticides and pesticides, harvesting,

thrashing and safe storage.

The level of mechanization has been increasing in the country progressively. The

progress of mechanization in our state is low due to low level of literacy in rural areas, lack of

awareness, poor economic condition, fragmentation and small holdings, leading to limitation for

farm mechanization.

To expand mechanized activities in district Doda during cropping seasons in large areas

especially in small and marginal holdings farm machinery banks can play a crucial role.

A budget of Rs 40 lacs has been proposed to carry out activities in the District Doda during year

2019-20.

Establishment of New unit of Mushroom Houses

Three types of Mushroom i.e. Button, Dingri and Milky Mushroom are grown in different
seasons of the year, thus making it possible to have cultivation of Mushroom round the year.
Mushrooms are rich in proteins, Carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins has become accessible to
common man can be referred as a myco-meat.
Food crops in India suffer from natural calamities but mushroom which are grown
indoors are not prone to these calamities. Mushroom has low calorie food, their low
carbohydrates, fat content also make them ideal food for fatty person which wish to reduce their
weight.
Cultivated mushroom are known to lower plasma lipid / cholerosterol level and protect
against development of heart diseases. Agricultural residues can be easily used for their low cost
bioconversion into mushroom, a highly quality protein rich edible food. Mushroom production
per unit area provides more protein than any other crop.
Faster means of communication receptive farming community to innovative ideas of
subsidiary occupation, better purchasing power of people, and easy marketability of produce are
some other factors which suggest that mushroom farming has better future in Doda District.
The financial assistance to tune of Rs.62.5 lakh have been proposed under this project for
the year 2019-20.

Promotion of Vegetable Cultivation in Open Condition

To cater the vegetable needs of the people living in urban areas, it is necessary to
motivate and educate them with technical inputs to grow vegetables for household consumption
on cluster basis. Vegetables are rich and comparatively cheaper source of vitamins. Consumption
of these items provides taste, palatability, increases appetite and provides fiber for digestion and
to prevent constipation. They also play key role in neutralizing the acids produced during
digestion of pretentious and fatty foods and also provide valuable roughages which help in
movement of food in intestine.

Some of the vegetables are good sources of carbohydrates (leguminous vegetables, sweet
potato, potato, onion, garlic and methi) proteins (peas, beams, leafy vegetables and garlic)
vitamin A (carrot, tomato, drumstick, leafy vegetables), Vitamin B (peas, garlic and tomato),
Vitamin C (green chillies, drumstick leaves, Cole crops, leafy vegetables and leaves of radish)
minerals (leafy vegetables, drumstick pods). As per dietician, daily requirement of vegetables is
75 - 125 g of green leafy vegetables, 85 g of other vegetables and 85 g of roots and tubers with
other food.

Food production is increasing. If is essential to sustain increased production besides

nutritional standard of people. It can be increased by increasing production of vegetables which
will help to solve food problem as yield of vegetable crops is 4 to 10 times more than cereals.
Thus, vegetables play a vital role on food front as they are cheapest-sources of natural foods and
can admirably supplement the main cereals of the country.

Since cultivation of vegetable crops involves intensive cultural operations starting from
sowing to marketing, it provides more and regular employment opportunities in rural areas.

With all these in perspective the project has been mooted for the farmers to grow
vegetables for nutritional requirement and employment. A financial outlay of Rs 90 lacs has been
proposed under the project.

Raising of Vegetables Under Trellis/Bower System

Cucurbits and Tomato are the major vegetable crops grown during rainy season in Doda

district. However, during this season, excessive water in the field causes damage to these crops
unless some physical support is given to the plants for climbing. The common practice of

cucurbits

cultivation during rainy season is either to grow on elevated fields or use stacks with available

wood but most often this arrangement doesn’t work and fails to bear the load of the crop when it

comes to bearing.

Using Trellis and Bower system with iron angle poles and wire is the scientific approach

to deal with the problem. Moreover, this is a permanent solution and one time investment that

results in enhancing the land productivity and gives enhanced yield of quality produce.

The financial assistance to tune of Rs. 19 lacs have been proposed under this plan for the
year 2019-20.

Increase in Seed Replacement Rate (SRR)

Seed Replacement Ratio denotes how much of the total cropped area was sown with certified

seeds in comparison to farm saved seeds. It also denotes actual quality seed distributed to

farmers vis-a-vis actual seed required for cultivation of crops.

As the population of country as well as district Doda is increasing at wooping speed. To meet up

the food demand we need to increase production by replacing farm seeds with hybrid seeds.

A budget of Rs 54 lacs has been proposed to carry out activities in the District Doda.

Promotion of Protected Cultivation

The protected cultivation technology provides favourable climatic conditions and reduces

the stress levels for realizing the yield potential of crop plants. This technology has great

potential in district Doda. Protected cultivation has great scope to achieve self-sufficiency in

vegetable sector even with less area.

Advantages

 Moderates temperature & humidity.

 Plant propagation is effective.

 Helps to improve quality and quantity of produce.

 Reduces infestation of disease / pests.

 Savings in water & fertilizer requirements as compared to open field cultivation.

 Reduces gestation period of the crop.

The financial assistance to tune of Rs. 76 lacs have been proposed under this plan for the
year 2019-20.
 Promotion of Speciality Spices Crop Cluster

Potential of Garlic, zeera and saffron cultivation is great in district Doda. It can play

important role improving the economic condition of the farmers.

The financial assistance to tune of Rs.9.4 lakh have been proposed under this project for the year
2019-20.

Formation of Farmers Producers Organization (FPOs)

To build a prosperous and sustainable agriculture sector by promoting and supporting

member-owned Producer Organisations, that enable farmers to enhance productivity through

efficient, cost-effective and sustainable resource use and realize higher returns for their produce,

through collective action.

The financial assistance to tune of Rs.122 lakh have been proposed under this project for
the year 2019-20.