SRINAGAR, 11 Oct: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), in collaboration with Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI), will host the 13th Sustainable Mountain Development Summit (SMDS) alongside the Jammu & Kashmir Agriculture Science Congress-2026 from 12 to 14 October 2026 at its Shalimar campus here.
The three-day national-level event, themed 'Contouring Sustainable Himalayan Landscapes for Inclusive Viksit Bharat', aims at bringing together policymakers, scientists, administrators, farmers and development professionals to deliberate on climate-resilient agriculture, mountain ecosystem conservation, and inclusive growth pathways for the Himalayan region.
A key highlight of SMDS 2026 is also the introduction and discussion on the first ever Sustainable Mountain Development Policy (SMDP) for J&K. Three practical publications aimed at strengthening climate resilience in the Himalayas, high-integrity agricultural carbon markets in India, and draft SMDS will be launched.
Developed by SKUAST-Kashmir, IIED and VCMI, and endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, the Farmer's Guidebook supports informed and equitable farmer participation in carbon markets; the Article 6.2 toolkit provides practical guidance for credible international carbon-market cooperation; and the Environmental and Social Management Framework strengthens environmental and social safeguards for agricultural carbon projects.
