Director Tourism Dr. G N Itoo, Director Agriculture M Iqbal Chowdary urged women aspirants to boost economy with innovative efforts
Reyaz Rashid
Pattan: With an aim to empower women and promote rich Kashmiri tradition of Hokh Syun- dried vegetables- known for their use during the harsh winter, Human Aid Society (HAS) inaugurated its centers established under Sustenance through Affordable Farming Entrepreneurship (SAFE) project with brand name ‘Arnimal’ in Baramulla district in which women engaged in the centers can dry and pack the vegetables and fruits through modern machinery for meeting the demand in winters.
Director Tourism Dr. G N Itoo flanked by Director Agriculture Mohammad Iqbal Chowdary, SDM Pattan Syed Faheem inaugurated the first of its kind centers under SAFE at Sadarbal Pattan in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
While hailing the efforts the Human Aid Society for empowering women with such innovative projects for sustainable farming and entrepreneurship, Dr. G N Itoo said that large quantity of our vegetables rot in our kitchens and kitchen gardens as our women don’t have means and machines to dry them and preserve them for winters when there is shortage of vegetables.
“The centers established by HAS are very innovative quipped hi-tech machinery in which we can dry our extra vegetables and fruits which can be used in winters,” he added.
He further said department of tourism will extended its support to the aspirants of these units in promoting their product named after a famous Kashmir pandit poetess- Arnimal which depicts the rich communal harmony bond among the people of Kashmir.
Speaking on the occasion Director Agriculture Mohammad Iqbal Chowdary said that such initiatives will really empower our women folk and department of agriculture have different schemes for such entrepreneurs.
“We have tradition of sun drying vegetables which extends the shelf-life of vegetables and thus they can be stored for long periods. Until a few years back, one could notice garlands of dried vegetables hanging on the walls of houses across Kashmir which had some hygienic issues but now we can revive it latest technology,” he added.
Earlier, while welcoming the guests Chairman Human Aid Society Kashmir Bashir Mir highlighted the importance of women empowerment and the significance of the SAFE project in present times.
“This endeavor will help our rural women to earn their livelihood besides vegetables cultivated with toil won’t get wasted as they will be dried in the units and sell in the markets to meet the consumers demand in both summers and winters,” he added.
Speakers including patron Human Aid Society and senior journalist Karamat Qayoom and General Secretary Human Aid Society Naseer Ahmad Rather addressed on the gathering and urged the women aspirants to work for economic development of the society.
Sarpanch Sadarbal Pattan Shahnawaz Ahmad, Secretary Human Aid Society Reyaz Ahmad Ganai, Deputy Director Tourism Dr. Ahsan-ul-haq Chishti, Chief Agriculture Officer Baramulla, Assistant Agriculture Officer Sopore and other dignitires were present on the occasion.