For the last five years, Kolhar town of Basavanabagewadi taluk is witnessing a unique type of jatra. During the fair, an association of progressive farmers arranges a Krishi Mela (agriculture fair) for educating the farming community about the importance of organic farming.

“It is a one-of-its-kind event which is purely by the farmers, of the farmers and for the farmers. Unlike any other agriculture fair which organised by government, here, only the farmers contribute to the event,” said Siddu Balagonda.

The progressive farmer who is behind the unique event says that for the last five years he has been organising the fair with the help of other farmers in the town during the Uppashappa temple fair. He said that they noticed that during the annual religious fair, hundreds of people, mostly farmers were arriving to the temple.

“We thought of using the opportunity to hold an event which could help the farming community.

Thus, we chose to organise an agriculture fair on the issue of organic farming as it has become the need of the hour,” Mr. Balagonda said.

Winner of ‘Krishi Pandit’ and a recipient of many such awards, he said that owing to excess and unabated use of chemical fertilizer, the soil is losing fertility and commodities are becoming unhealthy.

‘Save soil’

“The best way out to save soil and have healthy food is to switch over to organic farming.

“The fair essentially focuses on this critical aspect where every year we call the experts and progressive farmers to make farmers aware of its significance for the present and future generation,” he said.

To a question, he said that the farmers have contributed around Rs. 7 lakh for holding the event.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Firoz Rozindar /Kolhar (Vijayapura Dist). / August 25th, 2015