The city will host the 4th Balakrishi Sastra Congress (Children’s Farm Science Congress) on January 24 and 25 with the theme `Krishi- Nattarivum Sastravum.’ Organised by Agri-Friends in coordination with the Departments of Agriculture, Education and Horticulture Mission, around 500 school students are expected to participate in the event.
According to the organisers, 100 presentations in four different topics would be held in the Congress with five-member student-farm scientists forming a team. They will be led by 100 project guides. The last date for schools and project guides to get their teams registered in the Farm Science Congress is January 10.
It is promoting the motto `Laugh your way to farming’ that Agri-Friends first held the Congress three editions back. This time, the Farm Congress will be held on the Museum compound. The topics on which presentations will be made are `research in agriculture, farm models in schools, my farm’ and `agriculture science.’
There will be exhibitions as part of the Science Congress which will display innovative farm experiments of students, either in their homes or in schools. An exhibition of magazines, manuscripts and journals related to agriculture would be showcased at the event.
Green Touch Krishi Media will present a cash prize of Rs 10,001 and trophy for best seven-minute-long video clippings shot by the students on farming. The best Child Farm Scientist will bag a purse of Rs 11,111 and the best school will earn a cash prize of Rs 7,777. Selected seven teams will also bag prizes. Selected eight project teams will get a chance to visit the Thrissur Agriculture College and to make presentations before senior researchers in the field.
An eminent team comprising Agricultural College professors, agriculture scientists and farm journalists would judge the teams. The organisers have already started the promotion of the event by organising `Karshaka Sangamam’ which saw a huge turn up the other day.