Clean, sustainable farming in the spotlight

BENGALURU: Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot visited Krishi Mela on its fourth and final day to award farmers and researchers for their contribution to the field. He handed out seven awards.
“The need for good farming practices to develop in Indian agriculture means the need for incorporating nanotechnology in agriculture, and to develop farmer-friendly applications and promote new start-ups,” he said.

The awards presented were the HD Deve Gowda State Level Best Farmer award (MC Rangaswamy), Dr MH Marigowda State-level Best Horticulture Farmer award (TM Aravinda), Canara Bank Award for Best State Level Farmers (Male - Navikram and Female - Y G Manjula), R Dwarkinath Best Extension Worker Award (Dr AP Mallikarjuna Gowda), R Dwarkinath Best Farmer Award (Munireddy) and Dr MH Marigowda National Endowment Award for Best Horticultural Research (Dr Maheswarappa HP).

The awardees were also farmers who emphasised clean and sustainable farming with many adopting systems to keep soil quality intact as well as engaging in water harvesting among other innovative practices.

Munireddy, a farmer from Kolar, made use of integrated farming, taking up agriculture, horticulture, forestry, foraging, dairy production, sheep and poultry rearing, fish farming, bee-keeping and others through various farming systems. He has been a farmer for nearly 40 years.

Y G Manjula made use of a small piece of land, maximising her yield by growing numerous crops like maize, millet, rice, coconut, banana, ginger, potato, chilli, carrot, and cassava, among others. She has also adopted integrated farming, growing pomegranate trees and rearing cattle, as well as being a successful beekeeper.

Rangaswamy, a farmer from Arkalgud, practised integrated farming over a massive 100 acres. Despite being involved with horticulture, agriculture, forestry, beekeeping as well as rearing cattle, sheep, goat and poultry, he emphasises on organic fertilisers and nutrient management.

Dr Gowda, a senior scientist and head of horticulture at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bengaluru Rural district, has conducted numerous training programmes for farmers both nationally and internationally, training them in sustainable and organic farming practices.

8 lakh people visited the Krishi Mela, organised by the University of Agricultural Sciences, over 4 days

3 lakh people visited on the concluding day