Farmers and the public took part in Krishi Mela at the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bengaluru, on Sunday 17 November 2024. | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN
The four-day Krishi Mela, organised by the University of Agricultural Sciences- Bangalore on the GKVK campus, drew to a close on Sunday, witnessing 12.46 lakh visitors and showcasing agricultural innovations. The mela saw a whopping ₹34.13 crore business.
It was inaugurated on November 14, under the theme “Climate smart digital farming”. Around 700 stalls were set up this year, showcasing various agricultural and technological innovations. During the mela, the University released four new crop varieties of maize, cow pea, sunflower, and bajra.
Shalini Rajneesh, Chief Secretary of Karnataka, who was invited as the chief guest to the closing ceremony, said, “Krishi Mela serves as a model to the country. Farmers, who visit the mela, benefit mutually as they share and learn new information about agricultural techniques and varieties from other farmers.”
Our youth need to adopt digital technologies in agriculture and revolutionise the field. Foreign countries are lauding our modern agricultural practices because of the use of extensive information and technology in agriculture, she said.
Over 140 awards were distributed to those who have achieved significant strides in agriculture at the State, district and taluk-levels. And, the Chief Secretary commended the recognition and honour that women received in this fair for engaging in agriculture.
Farmers, who attended the mela, said that they liked the value of information available here every year.
Shreya Dasari, a resident of Kolar, said, “Whenever I attend the mela, there is something to learn about new agricultural technologies. I also had the opportunity to learn some techniques that are adopted by other farmers for growing their crops. Krishi mela helps the faming community.“
A commerce student, who took part in the mela, said that he not only witnessed new technologies in agriculture, but also about fisheries and how to take care of a fish. He had bought a betta fish at the mela.
There were also some complaints from the public about the amenities available at the Krishi Mela. While some complained about not having proper water facilities in the washrooms, others said that the mobile network was very weak in the area, which made communication quite difficult.
Published - November 17, 2024 09:51 pm IST
