Pulwama, Jul 09 (KNO): A day after Kashmir News Observer (KNO) highlighted the inspiring journey of a young Physics Honours graduate from Pulwama who established a vermi compost production unit under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), a team of officials from the Agriculture Department on Thursday visited his village to assess the project and encourage the budding entrepreneur.
According to the details available with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) acting on the directions of the Director Agriculture Kashmir Sartaj Ahmad Shah, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Pulwama Waheed-ur-Rehman and other departmental officials, visited Laribal village in Kakapora to inspect the vermi compost production unit established by progressive farmer Haroon Rashid Bhat.
During the visit, the officers inspected the functioning of the unit, reviewed the composting process and interacted with the entrepreneur regarding production, marketing prospects and future expansion plans.
The officials appreciated Haroon's initiative, describing it as a model of how educated youth can successfully venture into agriculture-based entrepreneurship while contributing to sustainable farming and rural employment.
The Chief Agriculture Officer assured the entrepreneur that the Agriculture Department would provide every possible technical guidance and institutional support to strengthen and expand the vermi compost project.
He said the department is committed to encouraging innovative agri-startups and youth-led enterprises under HADP and other government programmes aimed at promoting organic farming and improving farmers' incomes.
Officials said such initiatives not only generate employment opportunities but also help reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers, improve soil fertility and promote environmentally sustainable agricultural practices across Jammu and Kashmir.
Expressing gratitude, Haroon Rashid and his father thanked the Agriculture Department for standing by them throughout the process of establishing the unit.
They said the department's continuous technical guidance, encouragement and field-level support played a crucial role in turning the idea into reality.
"Without the department's support, this project would not have been possible. Their guidance gave us the confidence to establish the unit and pursue agriculture-based entrepreneurship," Haroon said.
His father thanked the officers for recognising his son's efforts and motivating him to continue working towards promoting organic farming in the region.
The visit comes a day after KNO carried a detailed report on Haroon's entrepreneurial journey. A Physics Honours graduate, Haroon chose self-employment over waiting for a government job after attending an awareness programme under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP).
Inspired by the programme, he established a vermi compost production unit in Laribal around four months ago by procuring quality earthworms from Haryana and using locally available cow dung to produce organic manure.
The venture has already created employment for several local youth and is expected to begin commercial production shortly. Haroon believes the project can help meet the rising demand for organic fertilisers in Jammu and Kashmir, where a significant portion of vermi compost is still sourced from outside the Union Territory—(KNO)