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Jammu, Dec 25 (IANS) Farmers living close to the International Border (IB) on Saturday decided to resume cultivation beyond the border fence under the protection of the Border Security Force (BSF) in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district.
An official statement said on Saturday that the farmers of Samba district, whose agricultural fields are close to the IB, have resolved to start cultivation on fields beyond IB Fence after visiting the Suchetgarh sector where the BSF has facilitated their counterparts to resume agricultural activities on the fields across the IB fence.
The district administration of Samba in collaboration with the BSF on Saturday organised a farmers' tour to Suchetgarh sector and encouraged them to take up agricultural activities beyond the fence in Samba sector as well.
"During the exposure visit, the group of 100 farmers along with PRI members from Rajpura, Samba, and Ramgarh had detailed interaction with their counterparts at Suchetgarh and agriculture officers on cultivable crops and practices that can be taken up along the International Border," an official said.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Samba, Anuradha Gupta informed that on the direction of J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, district administration is encouraging Border farmers of Samba to cultivate their fields in the forward areas.
An exposure visit of Samba farmers was organised to the Suchetgarh border to encourage them to follow the suit.
The DC said that the district administration and BSF authorities will extend full cooperation to farmers by addressing their concerns and also support them in doing routine farming beyond the border fence.
Around 500 hectares of cultivable land beyond border fencing is available for cultivation in Samba along International Border.
"The district officers accompanying the farmers informed them that crops like aloe-vera, lemon grass etc can also be sown in the area along with conventional crops.
"The uncultivated land across the fence can also be sown with the help of BSF and the farmers can be encouraged to take up agricultural activities," said the District Officer.
Farmers said they had stopped cultivation due to the fear of Pakistan firing. Now with the government's encouragement farmers here are cultivating their land beyond the fence and we can also resume the cultivation under the security cover of the BSF.
Later, the farmers also attended the retreat ceremony at Suchetgarh post.
--IANS
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