| Sanction Date: | 26-02-2018 | |||||
| Project Category | MG | |||||
| Batch Year | 2017-2018 | |||||
| Project Duration | 3 Years + 10 Months Extension | |||||
| BTA : | Livelihood Options and Employment Generation | |||||
| Project Site/ State/ Districts/ Villages Covered: | The project shall be implemented in ten districts (Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Budgam, Baramulla, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Kupwara) of Kashmir Division and 6 districts (Udhampur, Reasi, Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Ramban) of Jammu Division. | |||||
| Organization/ Implementation Agency: |
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Shalimar, Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir |
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| Project Partners: | S.No. | Name | Roles and Responsibilities | |||
1. |
All J&K Saffron Growers Development, Marketing Cooperative Society, Dusu, Pampore |
� To facilitate farmer interactions � To coordinate in mutual priority areas � To help in arranging logistical support during awareness programs � To work in close coordination with PI and project staff for generating efficient deliverables |
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2. |
Department of Business & Financial Studies, University of Kashmir Society, Dusu, Pampore |
� To engage with the stakeholders (particularly women/ youth) and educate them about the business development modules � To educate and propose solutions to the issues pertaining to marketing and product promotion. |
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3. |
Division of Plant Biotechnology, SKUAST-K |
� To help in the coordination of demonstration trials as an acclaimed expert of High Density Saffron plantation � To facilitate in the dissemination of the technology to the target audience (farmers/ youth/ women) � To provide expert opinion on the issues that may come up during the implementation of the project |
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| Lead Proponent: | Dr. Amjad Masood Husaini Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Shalimar, Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir |
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| Project Brief Description: | In marginal areas of J&K, some crops are facing a serious threat due to the need of a continuous supply of water for good yield. Further, these areas grow low-profit cereal crops that require irrigations. Saffron needs less water and is generally grown under rainfed conditions. In that sense, it fits well into the definition �more crop per drop� and augers better in the prevailing climate change scenario as the water requirement for saffron is comparatively low, and is easily manageable in kitchen garden through one or two sprinkler irrigations. The project idea was generated from the fact that Kashmiri saffron is a legendary crop with tremendous market demand both at domestic and international levels, and could be a major breakthrough to leverage socio-economic condition of jobless youth and womenfolk of villages in Jammu and Kashmir. Therefore, objective of project is to conserve saffron by diversification and introduction of saffron in non-traditional areas and making it an economically attractive enterprise through popularization of best practices. Additionally, climate change is emerging as a big challenge to agriculture & horticulture sectors and saffron cultivation in traditional areas has suffered too. Hormonal imbalance during critical stages of crop growth leads to plant developmental changes, and that may be cause of 75%, 40%, 60%, 70% (approx.) flower loss in years 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively. It would therefore be a good idea to study plant hormone�microbe-environment interaction with special reference to flowering for mitigating ill effects of climate change on saffron production. The other objectives are to spread awareness about promotion of �organic saffron kitchen garden�, �use of biofertilizers� for increasing productivity, introduction of saffron in new areas, prevent conversion of saffron land towards non- productive activities, adulteration of saffron, and pollution etc. | |||||
| Beneficiaries/ Stakeholders: | 16,000 families of J&K state, small traders, farmers as well as under privileged youth and womenfolk belonging to these families. | |||||
| Activity Chart (For 3 Years): | Click Here | |||||
| Total Grants (in Rs.) | Rs. 97,52,405/- (Rupees Ninety Seven Lakh Fifty Two Thousand Four Hundred Five only) | |||
| Project Objectives | Quantifiable Deliverables | Monitoring Indicators |
| Saffron diversification in new areas of J&K for enhancing overall saffron production and to provide alternate source of income to the dry land�s the poor farmers with direct involvement of women; | Model for increasing profitability of 16000 saffron growers and �creation of new job avenues� for youth and womenfolk; | No. of New Database/ Datasets generated on the identified dynamics (No.); |
| Study of plant hormone�environment interaction with special reference to flowering; | Saffron cultivation in new identified virgin areas (7000 ha) to facilitate production of about 35 M.T of quality saffron compared to the present saffron production of 16 M.T.; | Region-specific Best Harvest practices/ Models (Nos.) |
| Make people aware and create skills about the productive �use of bio-wastes� and by-products of saffron in manufacturing �organic dyes� and flavouring agent; | Development of kit and skills for testing adulteration in educated youth and help in employment generation (2000 youths); | Kit developed and tested by users (No); |
| Developing quick-cum-easy �kit� methods for detection of adulterants in saffron. | �Organic Saffron kitchen garden� among the 50 women folk; | No. of new Livelihood Options generated; |
| No. of awareness raising/ capacity building programmes on the identified dynamics for the region, including Income generation statistics (Rs./ person); | ||
| Policy/ strategic framework/ draft(s) for assisting the decision-making in the target/ identified area; | ||
| Other Publications and Knowledge Products (Nos.). |
| S.No. | Name (Sanctioned Staff) | Qualification | Designation | Salary |
| 1. | 01 SRF @ Rs.28,000/- + HRA | |||
| 2. | 02 Project Assistant @ Rs.12,000/- per month |
| S.No. | Name of Equipment (Sanctioned Equipment) | Details/ Use | Cost (in INR) |
| 1. | Laptop with UPS | ||
| 2. | Laser printer | ||
| 3. | Scanner | ||
| 4. | UV- Vis spectrophotometer | ||
| 5. | Homogenizer | ||
| 6. | Soxhlets extractor | ||
| 7. | Clevenger apparatus | ||
| 8. | Rotary evaporator | ||
| 9. | Heating mantle |
