Jammu, March 5, 2026 : Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday highlighted the vast potential of agriculture and allied sectors in Jammu and Kashmir, urging the youth to shift from being job seekers to job creators by embracing innovation and entrepreneurship in the sector.
Addressing a startup outreach programme organised under the Jammu and Kashmir Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project (JKCIP) at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Jammu, the Chief Minister said that agriculture offers immense opportunities for building a strong and sustainable startup ecosystem in the Union Territory.
“The youth must transition from being job seekers to job creators by harnessing innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture and allied sectors in Jammu and Kashmir,” Abdullah said while interacting with students and aspiring entrepreneurs.
He stressed that agriculture remains one of the strongest pillars of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy and holds the greatest potential when it comes to establishing successful industries in the region. According to the Chief Minister, many people believe that the region’s economy is primarily driven by tourism, but in reality agriculture and horticulture contribute significantly to the overall economic structure.
“There is a misconception that Jammu and Kashmir’s economy is driven solely by tourism. When I tell people that in our SGDP agriculture and horticulture are equally significant along with tourism, they are surprised. They have no idea how strong our agricultural ecosystem is,” he said.
Abdullah noted that agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and apiculture together form a vast economic network capable of generating large-scale employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for the youth.
Highlighting the limitations of government employment, he candidly told students that it is unrealistic to expect that everyone can secure a government job.
“If I stand up and say that every one of you will get a government job within a year, I will prove myself wrong. The truth is that all of you cannot get government jobs. Some will, but many will not. So what will the rest do?” he asked, encouraging the youth to explore entrepreneurship and innovation.
Explaining the economic realities of the Union Territory, the Chief Minister said that Jammu and Kashmir does not possess natural resources such as coal, iron ore or oil that support heavy industrial development in other regions.
“If we had coal under the ground or iron ore or oil like some other regions, perhaps we could have set up big factories here. But that is not our reality. We will have to build industries based on what we already have,” he said, emphasising that agriculture and allied sectors offer the most practical path for sustainable economic growth.
The Chief Minister also pointed out that traditional farming practices alone may not be sufficient to sustain livelihoods in the modern economy. He called for a shift towards value addition, technology adoption and modern agricultural entrepreneurship to make the sector more profitable and resilient.
“There was a time when our youth were deeply connected with traditional farming, but gradually their focus shifted away because agriculture appeared uncertain due to weather disruptions and market challenges,” he observed.
Abdullah said that several government initiatives have been launched to transform agriculture into a modern and technology-driven sector. Programmes such as the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), JKCIP and Mission YUVA are aimed at promoting innovation, encouraging startups and strengthening value-added agricultural enterprises in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The land that we have will remain limited and agricultural land is shrinking compared to what existed twenty or thirty years ago. The question is how we keep agriculture viable. The answer lies in value addition, innovation and entrepreneurship,” he said.
Highlighting the opportunities in dairy processing, Abdullah pointed out that only about six to seven percent of milk produced in Jammu and Kashmir currently undergoes processing. In comparison, states like Gujarat process nearly 93 percent of their milk through value-added products.
“When you convert milk into products like paneer or khoya, you increase its value manifold,” he said, encouraging young entrepreneurs to explore such opportunities within the agriculture and allied sectors.
The Chief Minister reiterated that with innovation, value addition and entrepreneurship, agriculture can become a powerful driver of economic growth and employment generation for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
