The four-day Krishi Mela organised by University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Dharwad, concluded here on Tuesday with lakhs of people, mainly farmers from across the State and elsewhere, visiting the agricultural fair and benefiting from it. According to a release from UAS, Dharwad, 16.65 lakh farmers, farm women, extension scientists, officers of various departments and students benefited from the fair organised with an objective of dissemination of information on the advancements in the field of agriculture.

While 547 quintals of various seeds for rabi season worth ₹ 20 lakh were sold during the Krishi Mela, 1,820 farmers visited the consultancy cell individually to seek solutions for various farm-related problems.

The maximum consultancies during the period were on plant protection followed by agronomy and horticulture crops. The UAS also sold publications worth ₹ 1.87 lakh and 1.64 lakh organic inputs.

As it has been a practice, on the concluding day, various progressive young farmers and young farm women from different districts in the region were felicitated. They subsequently shared their experiences with other farmers.

Honouring the award winners, Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner M.N. Nagaraj lauded the work of UAS and said that in the days of climate change, farmers should adopt farm technologies and the art of climate-smart farming.

The former MLA Chandrakanth Bellad stressed on the need for value addition to crops to make farming viable and rewarding. The former Vice-Chancellor of UAS, Dharwad, J.V. Goud stressed on the transfer of technology.

Presiding over the function, Vice-Chancellor of UAS, Dharwad, M.B. Chetti said that the awards were aimed at making the young farmers adopt newer technologies.

“In the coming years, the university will strive to attract more and more youths to take up innovative technologies,” he said.

On the concluding day of the mela, a special programme too was organised for the benefit of farmers on institutional support and support price provided by various financial and government institutions.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Dharwad – September 26th, 2018