A team from CAZRI Regional Research Station-Leh convened a meeting with the farming community of Hemis village lying within the Martselang Panchayat halka of Leh, under the TSP scheme on  July 2.

The team was led by Dr. R.K. Goyal, Principal Scientist & Head included Dr. Mahesh K. Gaur; Principal Scientist, Er. Changchuk Lamo; Scientist, Stanzin Landol, STA, and Mohd. Raza, STO. Stanzin Chospel, Executive Councillor (Agriculture) and Nambardar, Stanzin Wangldan, and other Panchayat members with around 20 farmers attended the interaction meeting.

The team conducted a need assessment-based interaction with the farmers. The meeting aimed to know and identify various issues related to agricultural practices and better utilization of available water resources.

Dr. R.K. Goyal. gave details of the scheme and seek cooperation from the farmers in making this intervention a successful one.

EC, Stanzin Chospel put forward his expectation from the team and urged the villagers to express their opinion and problems faced by them in agriculture practices and the kind of scientific interventions needed from the CAZRI team. 

Changchuk Lamo explained the TSP scheme being operated by the CAZRI RRS, Leh and discussed the agri-pastoral scenario, land use pattern, crop rotation, water utilization, etc. in the village. Thereafter, Dr. Gaur initiated an open house discussion in the participatory mode to understand the issues and their possible resolution at the village level or upscaling their skills through training or such programs. Dr. Noor Mohamed discussed the need for agroforestry and nursery plantation.

The farmers of the village also briefed the CAZRI RRS team about the existing agricultural and livestock practices. The farmers also shared their problems related to the agricultural practices like the decline in crop productivity, soil salinity, issues related to the existing seed varieties, fruit-drop, etc. It was informed by the farmers that existing production is mainly for sustenance only so improved varieties of seeds and horticultural saplings need to be introduced for better production. They were keen on introducing new short-duration crop varieties and other fodder crops. The farmer was very happy and assured to work together with the CAZRI RRS for the overall agricultural development of the village. It was further noted that the farmers are willing to adopt new practices of agriculture to bring prosperity comprehensively.