Kashmir is transforming and positive contributions like this one signify a ray of hope. This is about a brother duo who’ve taken the first step toward transformation. They’ve set up a vermicompost unit with the government’s help to generate employment in the valley, especially across the district.
Bilal Ahmed Sheikh and Muneer Ahmed Sheikh – The Transformative Brother Duo
Bilal Ahmed Sheikh, and his brother Muneer Ahmed Sheikh, who is a post-graduate in Biotechnology, teamed up with a few workers who were making bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides in Muran, Pulwama. They have done it with the help of the Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture and Horticulture Department that provided technical support to the team. One of them did a six-month training program in organic fertilizers organized by the KVK in Malangapora.
Benefits of the Venture
The vermicompost unit tests soil and produces biofertilizer to benefit farmers, and farmers have received good results. The team has gained popularity in recent times. It currently employs 15 people. Additionally, the vermicompost culture has enhanced the quality of vegetables, and it will benefit farmers in the long run.
The unit that these brothers established in 2017 attempts to popularize the use of organic fertilizers and pesticides among farmers. In a short time, they produced a significant amount of bio-fertilizer and pesticides. It sold approximately a thousand quintals of vermicompost, around a thousand liters of bio-fertilizers and pesticides. The duo does not sell the unit’s products in the open markets. Farmers visit the unit and buy products directly. However, apart from organic fertilizers and pesticides, they have also raised kiwi seedlings.
Significance of the Vermicompost Unit
Initially, very few numbers of farmers knew about the use of organic fertilizers and plant protection products. They were not aware of the harmful effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. However, gradually, the farmers were convinced about the benefits, and they started buying these products.
Moreover, another factor that makes the lab a significant move is a need for a soil testing lab that helps farmers determine the health of the soil for a good harvest. Several farmers are unaware about soil testing, which eventually translates into a low yield. The duo identified this need and established the lab immediately.
The brothers have also prepared bio-fungicides, such Trichoderma, which have helped control the root-rot in both traditional and high-density varieties of apples. Organizations such as Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) and Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) have helped them prepare the fungicide.
The Unit of Optimism
The Sheikh brothers haven’t just established a vermicompost unit but an organization that creates optimism among farmers across the Pulwama district. In addition to helping the farmers with several essential factors such as a lab to test the soil, develop bio-fertilizers, etc., they have generated employment for numerous people in the region. The overall impact of this venture certainly generates hope and positivity among Kashmiris across the district.
