The ‘Krishiyarangu’ programme organised by Agrifriends Krishi Samskarika Vedi on the Museum Compound on Thursday evening reflected the city’s new-found taste for agri trends. A small gathering of 15 people, all agricultural enthusiasts, who were on the Museum compound for the programme, witnessed the circle growing into a jumbo one in a short time.
`Krishiyarangu’ was organised by Agrifriends with the support of the Museum Directorate as a curtain-raiser to the Balakrishi Sastra Congress to be hosted in the city in January.
At the programme, farmers and agricultural officials turned up along with old timers who are engaged in farming for years now. They shared their experiences, concerns, new trends in their area and threw light on the new farming techniques too.
``It was a programme to share `nattarivu’ and agricultural science and both struck a cord with the audience. What started off as a small informal gathering suddenly invited a huge audience of around hundreds, who had come for jogging or walking on the compound. They lend enthusiastic ears to our programme which is a motivation to organise such agri friendly programmes in Museum more frequently.
We think the place holds promise for the promotion of agriculture in our city,” said S Jayakumar, Agri Friends Coordinator.
Two farmers from the Adivasi settlements of Kottukal shared their farming experience at the programme and narrated how the vocation has changed its colour in the recent years.
P V Balachandran, scientist at the Kerala Agriculture College, Vellayani, gave a talk on farming trends. Ulloor Raveendran, a farmer who has entered into the Limca Book of World Records for his farming initiatives, shared his experience.
``The programme received such an overwhelming response from the public that it has motivated us to come up with more agro friendly programmes on the Museum ground. We are planning a ‘Pattarangu’ next which will be folk lores attached to agriculture to garner public attention to the sector,” Jayakumar said.
The programme had the presence of Youth Affairs and Welfare Board Vice-Chairman P S Prashanth and Museum Director Udayavarman. The Balakrishi Sastra Congress is scheduled for January 24 and 25 on Museum compound.
The 4th Krishi Congress is expected to have around 500 child participants from various schools who will showcase the agricultural initiatives taken up by them either as a group in the school or on an individual level at houses. The Congress has the support of Education and Agriculture Departments.