mangalore today

Farmers take a look at 21st century technology at ’Krishi Mela’


Mangalore Today News Network

Brahmavar, Oct 16, 2016: Krishi Mela at Brahmavar,   by  ZAHRS, Zonal Agricultural and Horticultural Research Station was well appreciated by farmers from in and around Udupi district, the knowledge and material display drew applause.  Nearly 100 stake holders have put up stalls to display the modern agricultural technologies and farm machineries.

 

Farmers

 

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A farmer from Birthi village, who is engaged in agriculture activities from the past 26 years, was of the opinion that the mela, held every year, is improving and presenting new ideas every time. He said he has been visiting the mela since the inception of the concept by ZAHRS. He told media that he has adopted many innovative methods and has conducted experiments in his field. It is immensely helpful, he opined.

Another farmer Shankaranarayana, who has two acres of agriculture land, said that the mela introduces the farmers to innovative ideas which could be used into farming and get better yield and profit. "Now, agriculture is under loss. There are many problems like shortage of labor, wild animal menace and the farmers do not get back the money they invest. In this backdrop, the farmers can visit the expo and get acquainted with new skills to get better yield and more profit," he said.

An octogenarian farmer from Kumbhashi, who is into agriculture for the past 50 years, said he is not happy with the mela. The mela is not used as much as it could and  farmers continue to be in distress, he added.

The display of varieties of vegetable breeds and plant species was the large crowd puller. Farm machines like power tiller, chisel plough, harrow, rotary tiller, rot tiller, bed tiller, mulch tiller, harvester, transplanter, sickle sword, diggers, rotavator, mulcher and sprayers were exhibited on the occasion.

Another unique display was hydroponics and aeroponics method of cultivation, wherein the roots are not dipped in the soil and they sustain by sucking the moisture from the water below. One young man has come up with the new idea, said the technique could be used for vegetables and leafy herbs. The method saves 70 to 80% of water used in the conventional farming. The clay balls are used at the bottom of the plants for cooling. The method of cultivation is popular in the US and Japan.The plant grows 30-50 per cent faster, he explained.

The other components in the mela included the display of high yielding rice varieties and seed productions, the Dapog nursery and demonstration of SRI method of paddy cultivation, CO-4 Fodder grass demonstration, multistoreyed crop system and nutrient managements in coconut and areca nut, cashew grafting and soil and water management in cashew gardens, demonstration of organic manure compost, vermicompost and azolla, demo units of dairy, poultry, goat, duck and fisheries, exhibition and demonstration of agricultural implements.


Farmers are looking at better yield: minister  :  Speaking after inaugurating the two-day ’Krishi Mela’,  District-in-Charge Minister Pramod Madhwaraj said agriculture is paving way to urbanised and unskilled civilization. The minister said agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy and signifies the food pattern practised in the country.  Farmers in past were confidently involved in farming. "with population explosion, intrusion of urbanised culture has increased in India. Changing food habits have also paved way for the decrease in agriculture activities."  Reiterating that the farmers should be encouraged in terms of finance and knowledge, the minister said that the researchers in the agricultural and horticultural universities and the departments should take up projects for profitable and viable cultivation. The farmers should be shown the path wherein they could get good yield and profit. The researchers should look into the problems and find ways to make the agriculture viable, he said.


The government has started the new programme, wherein the farmer would be told about the quality of the soil in his field through soil testing. The farmers would also be guided in terms of use of fertilisers and nutrients, he stated. He called upon the farmers to make use of the knowledge imparted in the mela. He added that farm fair should be held frequently to provide valuable and useful tips to the farmers.