Nine new crop varieties to be released during the mela to be held from Nov. 3 to 6
Nine new crop varieties to be released during the mela to be held from Nov. 3 to 6
Krishi Mela, part of the annual calendar of the city and farmers of the region, will be held at Gandhi Krishi Vignan Kendra (GKVK) from November 3 to 6.
This year’s Krishi Mela will focus on agri startups and has “Krishiyalli Navodyamagalu”, as its tagline. “Agri startups will encourage farmer-centric research and its delivery to the farms. Not only have Union and State governments decided to focus on agri startups, but we at the university have also realised that is the way ahead,” said S.V. Suresh, Vice-Chancellor, University of Agricultural Sciences-Bengaluru.
UAS-B has till date incubated 24 agri startups. Krishi Mela will have a dedicated pavilion for agri startups with 25 stalls.
UAS will unveil nine new varieties of crop varieties, including two varieties of paddy, maize, jowar, avarekai, sesame seeds, niger seeds, and castor. The mela will also introduce 38 new agricultural technologies, including use of drones in agriculture and soil-less agriculture, more suited for urban farming especially growing vegetables, Dr. Suresh said. The mela will also have three group discussions by and for farmers on food processing, agri startups, and organic farming.
Krishi Mela this time will have 697 stalls, including 178 stalls on agricultural engineering, 80 on agricultural equipment and 53 stalls on organic farming. “We expect footfall in the range of 15-20 lakhs. While the stress will be for offline mela, it will also be held online as the response for the online mela had been good over the last two years,” Dr. Suresh said. This year, UAS has organised buses to fetch people from Jakkur to the mela area.
“Weather forecast has been in our favour. There is a forecast of only a light drizzle which will actually help us fight the dust menace,” Dr. Suresh said. However, the recent spell of heavy rains has adversely impacted preparations for the mela. “There was water stagnation due to excess rains in some of the plots prepared for the mela, affecting the crop stand. We have resown in those plots, but the crop stand is not yet up to the mark,” he said.
No big cattle this year
There will be no big cattle – cows, oxen and buffaloes – at the Krishi Mela this year, due to lumpy skin disease. “It is sad that we are not able to get the big cattle to the mela as the government has issued guidelines against transportation of cattle due to lumpy skin disease,” S.V. Suresh, Vice-Chancellor, University of Agricultural Sciences-Bengaluru, said. However, the mela will have 10 native varieties of chicken, sheep, goats, rabbits and other cattle.
