Agriculture

Food security has been a priority for India since the time of independence. Besides catering to Sustainable Development Goal number 2 pertaining to the goal of ensuring zero hunger, investment in Agriculture forms the basis of also eliminating poverty which translates to Sustainable Development Goal number 1. As the nation moves forward to achieve the national targets of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, Kashmir has the important task of aligning itself to the national development narrative while negotiating its focus areas in order to work on improving general living standards. Agriculture in that context forms the mainstay of the development agenda as a major part of the farm produce in Kashmir is not simply consumed locally but also are coveted items in the export market. A few of Kashmir’s most famous exported items include apples, peaches, saffron, walnuts, cherries, etc. The conflict which is three decades old now, had adversely affected market access over the years besides also negatively impacting the scope of further development in the sector by bringing in more investment into agriculture technology. With a new political narrative opening up, it remains to be seen how policies are crafted to allow Kashmir to utilize the opportunities of accessing a wider national market besides bringing in talent and technology to re-imagine the scope of contributing its produce to promote export earnings. Agriculture also remains an untapped sector for generating more employment for women besides serving as a laboratory for furthering the cause of research for more sustainable land-use practices. Intimately connected to the priority task of conserving nature while promoting sustainable use, targeted investment in Agriculture can serve to achieve multiple goals overall. Kashmir’s youth who have grown up amidst the abundance of nature, are invested to conserve their agricultural heritage while using scientific technology mindfully in order to maximize produce and market access in the sector.