Kashmir, we have observed an almost total conversion from agriculture to horticulture with farmers attributing it to lack of irrigation facilities and the absence of a marketing system.”
According to Akhtar Hussain Malik, a botanist at Kashmir University, the drop in rice and maize cultivation has resulted in a lack of fodder for cattle. “Our animals are already suffering from insufficient fodder with the degradation and shrinking of pastures in Kashmir.”
Farooq Ahmad Lone, Director Agriculture department says the state government plans to provide bore wells to farmers whose lands are dependent on rains.
“We suffered a 25 percent loss in maize production last year. We intend to mitigate these losses by providing bore well facilities to farmers in the hilly areas,” Lone said.
This story was produced under the ‘Climate Change: A Reporting Lens from Asia/IPS Asia-Pacific’
