By Mohammad Hanief

Kashmiri farmers were stuck. Low yields, erratic weather, and markets that paid little kept them poor despite fertile soil. Now, a silent revolution is breaking that cycle.

Young Kashmiris, armed with tech and grit, are turning fields into engines of sustainable growth. This isn’t just about more crops. It’s a roadmap for any region where climate and economics choke livelihoods.

Farming sustains 70% of Kashmiri people. Apples, supplying 75% of India’s market, and saffron, a global culinary gem, define the valley. But challenges piled up: outdated tools, weak irrigation, and climate shifts.

In 2015, erratic rains destroyed 20% of crops in Pulwama. Unemployment, hitting 32% among youth in 2024, left 30% of farmland fallow in some districts by 2018, as families lost hope.

Change came fast. Scientists at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology rolled out high-yielding, disease-resistant crops like Shalimar Rice-1 and Shalimar Maize Composite-7.

In 2023, these boosted rice yields by 15% in Baramulla, saving farmers who once scraped by.

Mechanization is spreading. Seed drills and harvesters in Budgam cut labour costs by 30%. Drones, piloted in 12 districts, spray pesticides precisely, slashing chemical waste by 40%.

The apple........

© Kashmir Observer