Agriculture is a key part of human civilization. The growing human population and depletion and degradation of natural resources caused by destructive farming practices all pose challenges to the sustainability of agriculture.
Under the current dominant paradigm, hunger is expanding while soil fertility, fresh water quality and quantity, and biodiversity continue to decline. Efforts to maintain this paradigm, which relies on non-renewable energy and resources, are proving inadequate. A paradigm shift is needed to move from current destructive practices to an integrated, holistic approach aimed at improving sustainable production in both the short- and long-term so that the vision of Doubling the Farmers Income by the year 2022 could be realized.
The Jammu and Kashmir State’s economy is predominately agriculture dependent and nearly 70% of population is directly or indirectly engaged in agricultural and allied occupations. Which makes the state dependent on Agriculture which is based on Small Land Holdings. And due to the Geographic positioning the Agriculture activities in the regions remain off due to harsh winters in Kashmir and Ladakh Regions.
The Department of Agriculture, Kashmir envisages to make Agriculture a Sustainable & Remunerative economic activity for farmers in the present regime of World Trade Organization (WTO) wherein open market scenario is prevalent across the world. Transformation of Agriculture into Entrepreneurship by participating effectively in the highly competitive Agricultural Markets is the need of the hour.
In this regard the Department of Agriculture has shifted it approach from Commodity based to Product Based. In this approach, key products and markets are identified based on market demand, preferences and potential of the commodity. A robust Strategy is being adopted based on Two Guiding Principles for Making Agriculture a Remunerative and a Profitable Venture and Making Agriculture a Glamorous enterprise by turning the farmer into an Agricultural Entrepreneur.
As JK has an edge over the Rest of India by providing off-Season vegetables which helps our farmers to have a monopoly over the market and hence provides them enhanced price for their produce. This approach needs to be replicated in other areas also on the basis of site specific crop production. These crops would be branded as Kashmir Fresh to tap the available potential of the open markets all over the world.
Traditional Heirloom Varieties like Mushkabudji, Red Rice (Zagg), Kamad are to be revived and successfully marketed. The department after successfully reviving Mushkabudji is now focusing on revival of Varieties like Red Rice (Zagg), Kamad.


Geographical Area UT of J & K 42241 Km2


Particulars Jammu Kashmir J&K

Farm Operating Families 546790(Kashmir Division) 646421(Jammu Division) 1193211 (Total)

Net Cultivated Area 3.90 lac ha 3.49 lac ha 7.52 lac ha

Gross Cultivated area 7.54 lac ha 4.90 lac ha 12.44 lac ha

Net area irrigated 1.34 lac ha 2.14 lac ha 3.48 lac ha

Un-irrigated 2.56 lac ha 1.35 lac ha 4.04 lac ha