The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) is gearing-up to hold two-day on-campus Kisan Mela at Ludhiana on September 14 and 15 under the theme “Come and enjoy PAU farmers’ fair, where scientific technologies are very rare.”
Calling upon the agricultural community to participate in the mela with their families, Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, said: “This mela, ever since its initiation in 1967, has provided the farmers, farm women and youths with the winning environment, thus amplifying the graph of agriculture and leading to socio-economic expansion of the rural families.” With the world undergoing metamorphosis at an accelerated speed and agriculture navigating challenges due to climate change, PAU was revamping its research and extension programmes as well as devoting to bandwidth to enable farmers understand the nuances of new crop varieties and technologies, and embrace them at faster rate in their fields, he stated. Besides, it aimed at helping women and youths unleash their potential in allied agri-occupations to cultivate profit, he added.
Dr AS Dhatt, Director of Research, while inviting farmers to the Kisan Mela, advised them to diversify their cropping pattern by going in for the cultivation of exotic fruits and vegetables such as dragon fruit, strawberry, coloured bell peppers, etc. which added diversity to diet and were in great demand in the market. “PAU has recently released varieties of dragon fruit, apple and strawberry. Farmers should come and see the experimental area of dragon fruit cultivation which is unique in its own self,” he added. The current emphasis was also on natural resource conservation, tackling climate change and enhancing income of the farmers, he observed.
Dr GS Buttar, Director of Extension Education, informed that the seed of newly developed varieties, vegetable kits, planting material, biofertilizers, farm publications, etc. will be sold at the mela at different locations. “Farmers are proud ambassadors of PAU and their prosperity has always been our priority,” he remarked, while adding that their massive participation acts as a booster dose for the University and speaks of their faith and confidence.
Read more: https://www.pau.edu/index.php?_act=manageEvent&DO=viewEventDetail&dataE=datae&intID=8022
