Agriculture these days is sinking into deep gloomy environment and rare attempts are made in this direction to rejuvenate agricultural activities backed with hope.

We do come across hue and cry supporting the idea to safeguard India’s age old occupation. However, modern technologies, equipment and amenities should be part of agriculture activities if at all farmers and their occupation has to survive. Even though improved facilities are introduced at times, only few of these measures are identified among farming community owing to lack of awareness and improper directions to make use of it.

Krishi Mela

Recently Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Brahmavar, organized ‘Krishi Mela’ to introduce farmers in the surrounding areas with the innovations that are taking place in agriculture arena. Agriculture today is not only confined to farming activities, rather it offers bountiful of scopes under the umbrella. In deed, the Mela was exclusively a learning experience besides being a splendid expo on agriculture.

Speaking to City Herald, farmer Bhaskhar Shetty from Hejmadi informed that it is a wonderful experience. Such Melas help farmers to get in touch with sophisticated technology of agriculture. They also can share their experiences with each other through collective group discussions. So that new ideas float which can be experimented on different soils, he added.

Bhaskhar Shetty practices mixed farming and he has learnt many things from his previous experiences. He was very much impressed with the new model of cutting machine that was exhibited in four varieties. The Mela displayed high yielding rice varieties and seed production. MO-4, Phalguna, Mukthi, Champaka, KCP-1, IR-54, MTU-1081, IET-20710 were the rice varieties that were exhibited in the Mela.           

Preparation of DAPOG nursery and SRI method of paddy cultivation was an experience right into the field. CO-4 fodder grass demonstration offered the intricacies of how to grow fodder grass. Cashew grafting display allowed participants to experiment the grafting technology with cashew saplings. Rainwater harvesting followed by live demonstration of water conservation created awareness on how to preserve ground-level water sources.

The Mela provided information on using solar energy. Varieties of decorative plants were displayed and put on sale. Value added food stuffs were displayed on the occasion. Farmers were given indepth information regarding multi-storied cropping system and nutrient management in coconut.

Demonstrations on organic manure compost, vermi-compost and azolla were organized at the Mela. Prabhakar Shetty, farmer from Palimaru informed City Herald, that he comes every year for Krishi Mela and experiences new ideas to introduce in his field. Display on organic farming has helped farmers a lot and the farmers have produced high quality yields with organic manure, he added.

Model watershed management of about 500 hectare was set up along with demonstration. The model consisted of ideas based on complete conservation of water, afforestation, horticulture, model vented dam, replicas of small farm holdings, equipment to check water velocity were part of the watershed set up. Watershed Department Kundapur Taluk Head S R Prakash informed the model lays more focus on rainwater harvesting and simultaneously held demonstration and elaborated the benefits of water conservation.

Preparation of and demonstration of Bordeaux mixture, soil and water management in cashew, cocoa gardens were some of the information that were available for farmers.
The seminars like “Integrated farming system on paddy and opportunities for mechanization,” “Cocoa and mixed cropping farming,” “Cashew and other plantation crops” highlighted the essentials on various complexities in mixed farming.