DHARWAD: The University of Agricultural Sciences in Dharwad has geared up to host the four-day Krishi Mela-2013 from Saturday. The sprawling campus is decked up with stalls and exhibition halls. Over 13 lakh people from various parts of North Karnataka and Maharashtra are expected to visit the mela and interact with agricultural scientists and have first hand knowledge of new farming technologies and equipment.
The mela will also provide a chance to the businessmen and financial institutions dealing in farm equipment, fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides and agricultural sciences to showcase their products. As a prelude to the mela, UAS has organized seminars and symposiums on climate change and other relevant topics.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the mela on Sunday.
This annual event in which the university showcases the latest farm technologies, cropping patterns and research, among other things, has been growing in size due to its popularity among farmers spread over seven districts coming under its jurisdiction.
The previous mela, which was organised in 2012 at the national level, had become the country's one of the biggest farm events with nearly 10.90 lakh people thronging the venue.
The main gate wears a bridal look displaying colourful pictures of lush green fields, vegetables, grains, cereals and agriculture implements.
This year, the theme is 'Water management for food security'. The focus will be on four components -- water conservation, watershed management, irrigation management and reclaiming the saline land.
The country is marching ahead with food security bill and water management plays a crucial role in sustaining the food quality and produce. Thereby, a special talk by water management expert Dr Rajendra Singh from Rajasthan will be held.
The agriculture fair will impart lessons on government schemes that help farmers to procure their produce and sell at right time. Emphasis has also been given to disseminate information on group marketing wherein marketing cost will be less.
To introduce the farmers on latest crop breed developed in the varsity, field demonstration 'Kshethrotsava' would be held on all the four days.
Vice-chancellor H S Vijay Kumar said this year as many as 550 stalls displaying seeds, crops, agriculture implements and traditional foods would be set up. The varsity, for the benefit of the private companies manufacturing farm equipment, has set up fabricated stalls, economy stalls and opens space for demonstration.
A Seed Mela is being organised in the varsity campus on all the four days. This exercise is being made by the varsity to help the farmers purchase quality seeds for rabi season.
