SKUAST-K To Establish ‘School Of One Health Program’ in India

Srinagar: The Sher-eKashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) of Kashmir is hosting a mega 3-day Agri-Med Science Congress, bringing together medical and agricultural experts for the first time in the region.

The event according to the SKUAST- K officials aims to address the pressing health concerns stemming from environmental and climatic changes, particularly focusing on the impact of deteriorating water and soil quality on food safety.

Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K, Professor Nazir Ahmad Ganie highlighted the significance of the event, noting that SKUASTK is pioneering efforts in this domain by establishing the first ‘School of One Health Program’ in India.

“The university has secured a substantial project worth approximately 25 crore from the Government of India for this initiative, with collaborative partnerships including IIT Kanpur, IMTech Chandigarh, and SKIMS”, he said.

VC SKUAST-K said that additionally, a project focusing on Avian Influenza, valued at around 1.5 crore, underscores the institution's commitment to novel approaches in improving public health.

“The conference aims to gather insights from over 150 medical experts from prestigious institutions such as AIIMS, Max Hospital, SKIMS, and GMC Srinagar, with a total participation of over 700 attendees”, he stated.

Speaking about the Agri-Med conference, VC SKUAST- K said that for the first time in Kashmir, they are bringing agricultural and medical experts on a single platform to address the health concerns arising due to the environmental and climatic changes, stating that the water, soil is getting deteriorated resulting in the mixing of toxic residues in the food we consume, subsequently getting mixed up in our food chain.