Khaltsi, Mar 10: In an effort to strengthen awareness on modern agricultural practices and promote sustainable farming, the Agriculture Department on Sunday organised a one-day farmer training camp at Domkhar village in Sub Division Khaltsi under the Agriculture Technology Mission Agency (ATMA).
The programme drew the participation of around 102 farmers from the village and focused on the use of improved agricultural techniques and technologies aimed at enhancing farm productivity and income.
The training session was conducted by Deputy Director Agriculture, UT Ladakh, Tashi Dolma, Sub Divisional Agriculture Officer Leh Mohd Ramzan, and Junior Agriculture Extension Officer Stanzin Idong. The officials interacted with farmers and shared guidance on various farming practices suited to the region’s agro-climatic conditions.
Representatives of the REWA Farmer Producer Organization (FPO), led by its president Tashi Thokmed, also addressed the gathering. The team highlighted the role of the recently formed FPO in Domkhar, which currently includes 107 members, and discussed how collective farming initiatives and organised marketing could enhance farmers’ income and strengthen local agricultural activities.
The training covered a range of topics including natural farming, organic farming methods, preparation of vermicompost, mushroom cultivation and the importance of mustard cultivation in the region.
A practical demonstration on the preparation of natural farm inputs such as Beejamrit, Jeevamrit and Agniastra was conducted by Sub Divisional Agriculture Officer Mohd Ramzan, offering farmers hands-on exposure to low-cost and sustainable farming techniques.
Officials also briefed farmers about various departmental schemes aimed at supporting agricultural development. The department assured participants that mustard and rajma seeds would be provided under the National Food Security Mission for demonstration purposes.
One of the highlights of the programme was the distribution of organic certificates to farmers, enabling them to market their produce more effectively in the future.
Officials said the training camp witnessed an encouraging response from farmers and served as an awareness platform ahead of the upcoming cultivation season. The department expressed hope that the knowledge shared during the session would help farmers adopt improved practices and strengthen agricultural output in the village.
