Leh, Mar 25: In a policy shift aimed at recalibrating agricultural outreach in Ladakh’s cold-arid terrain, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Ladakh, transferring administrative control of four Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) to the Union Territory’s premier academic institution.
The agreement, signed in New Delhi by Dr Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR, and Prof. Saket Khuswaha, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ladakh, places the KVKs at Leh-I, Leh-II (Nyoma), Kargil-I and Kargil-II (Zanskar) under the university’s direct supervision. Senior university functionaries, including Registrar in-charge Nawang Tundup and Dean Dr Mohd Rafee, were associated with the process.
The transition marks a departure from the earlier administrative arrangement under Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, and reflects a broader attempt to align agricultural extension services with Ladakh’s distinct geographical and climatic realities following its reorganisation as a Union Territory.
Officials familiar with the development said the move is expected to improve coordination between research institutions and field-level implementation by anchoring extension services within a regionally based university. The University of Ladakh, with campuses in Leh and Kargil, is positioned to integrate academic research with on-ground agricultural practices more effectively.
Krishi Vigyan Kendras function as district-level centres for dissemination of agricultural technologies, farmer training, and on-field demonstrations. In Ladakh, where farming is carried out at elevations ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 metres, these centres have been instrumental in promoting protected cultivation, improved crop varieties, and livestock management suited to extreme weather conditions.
The Nyoma-based KVK, regarded as the country’s highest-altitude farm science centre, has also contributed to national agricultural outreach campaigns focused on seasonal preparedness and technology adoption.
Officials noted that Ladakh’s farming systems face structural constraints, including a short cultivation window of about 100 to 120 frost-free days, limited water availability, and fragile soil conditions. These challenges, compounded by changing climatic patterns affecting snowfall and glacier-fed irrigation, have necessitated location-specific interventions.
By bringing the KVK network under the University of Ladakh, authorities expect a more responsive framework capable of addressing these constraints through tailored training programmes, adaptive research, and closer engagement with farming communities in remote areas such as Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Dras.
The collaboration is also expected to strengthen agri-based entrepreneurship and create employment opportunities for local youth in extension services, research assistance, and training activities. Officials indicated that enhanced institutional presence at the grassroots level could improve the frequency of on-farm trials and capacity-building initiatives.
In its statement, the University of Ladakh acknowledged the role of the Union Territory administration, including the Lieutenant Governor, the Chief Secretary, and the Higher Education Department, in facilitating the agreement.
Agricultural experts view the development as part of a broader policy direction focused on sustainable farming practices, improved productivity, and reduced dependence on external supply chains in the high-altitude region. The integration of extension services within the university framework is expected to encourage knowledge-driven agriculture while maintaining ecological balance in Ladakh’s sensitive environment.
