Jammu, January 09, 2026 : Prof. B. N. Tripathi, Vice Chancellor of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)–Jammu, today called on Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha at Lok Bhavan and briefed him on the University’s progress in education, research and extension activities.
The Vice Chancellor highlighted key initiatives undertaken under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) and the J&K Climate Innovation Programme (JKCIP), aimed at strengthening the agricultural ecosystem and promoting sustainable and climate-resilient farming in the region.
Prof. Tripathi informed that SKUAST–Jammu has been designated as a Centre/Regional Outreach Unit of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) for Jammu. The Centre will collect region-specific data on crop costs, prices and farmers’ issues, which will support evidence-based Minimum Support Price (MSP) recommendations and improve farmer-centric policy formulation.
He also apprised the Lieutenant Governor about the sanction of an ANRF-PAIR IIT Bombay Hub project under the Partnership for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR), with an outlay of over ₹6 crore. The project aims to develop an AI-driven agriculture system to enhance farmer market linkages and operational efficiency, with a special focus on traditional agricultural products.
In addition, an ICAR-NASF project worth ₹2 crore for genome analysis has been approved. The Vice Chancellor further stated that the establishment of an AICRP Centre for Poultry Breeding at SKUAST–Jammu is at an advanced stage of approval, while proposals for regular centres for beekeeping and mushroom cultivation are under active consideration by ICAR. Currently, the University is implementing externally funded projects amounting to nearly ₹100 crore.
