GANDERBAL, FEBRUARY 16: A training programme on the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) was successfully organized by the Chief Agriculture Officer, Ganderbal, in collaboration with the Central Integrated Pest Management Centre, Srinagar at the Meeting Hall of the Sub-Divisional Agriculture Office, Ganderbal.
The programme aimed at enhancing the technical knowledge and practical skills of field functionaries engaged in pest surveillance and management activities in the district.
Agriculture Extension Officers of the Agriculture Department, District Ganderbal, actively participated in the training. The sessions focused on the significance of systematic pest surveillance, timely and accurate data reporting, and the use of digital tools for effective pest monitoring and management under the NPSS framework.
Dr. Haroon Rashid Hakla, Assistant Plant Protection Officer (PP), CIPMC Srinagar, under the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, conducted the hands-on training session. He demonstrated practical methods of pest identification, surveillance techniques, and digital data entry on the NPSS platform, highlighting its importance in generating early warnings and issuing timely advisories to farmers.
The programme was conducted in the presence of Arif Khurshid, SDAO Ganderbal; Zahoor Ahmad Dar, SMS (SDL), and Nazir Ahmad Dar, SMS (SDL), who underscored the pivotal role of well-trained field functionaries in protecting crops and providing timely advisory services to farmers through effective pest management strategies. Abir Shankhari, APPO (Weed Science), CIPMC Srinagar, also shared valuable technical insights.
The training concluded with an interactive session, and participants appreciated the practical orientation, which is expected to further strengthen pest surveillance and crop protection efforts in the district.