‘Awareness on water conservation need of the hour’

Many farmers are in distress as they have not availed different schemes and facilities from agriculture, horticulture and other departments, Progressive farmer Kudi Srinivas Bhat said.

He was addressing the gathering at a workshop for farmers organised by District Farmers Association at Udupi Residency Hotel on Saturday.

Bhat said farmers should avail the interest-free loan offered by co-operative societies. “Farmers should enroll their names for Kissan Samman programme, which will help them in future.”

Bhat observed that as rainfall had been scanty so far in this monsoon, farmers should opt for less water-intensive crops. Mango, coconut and arecanut can also be grown in the field.

Horticulture department supports such initiative under different programmes, he said.

“Farmers, by not availing the benefits of different government schemes, have landed in distress.”

Elaborating on the importance of rainwater harvesting systems in order to overcome drought, Bhat said every house should take up the initiative of harvesting rainwater in order to revive and recharge groundwater. “The awareness on water conservation is need of the hour,” he stressed.

District Farmers Association President Ramakrishna Bantakallu emphasised on the need to incorporate scientific temper into farming practices. The farmers should opt for scientific farming by adopting new technologies in the farming practices. He appealed farmers to stay united and get government to implement their basic demands.

S Deepa from the horticulture department said farmers should opt for the crop insurance and insulate themselves during emergencies. “The loss arising from crop failure will be compensated by crop insurance.” Farmers Association Vice President Srinivas Ballal Mallampalli said farmers should stay united and extend co-operation to each other.