Advisor to Lt Governor, Farooq Khan, to inaugurate 2-day event

BK News

Srinagar, March 2: With a renewed focus on tech-driven sustainable farming, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir is holding a two-day mega farm mela at Shalimar campus on Saturday and Sunday.

Advisor to Lt Governor, Farooq Ahmad Khan, is expected to inaugurate J&K’s annual mega event, ‘7th Technology Exhibition cum Seed Sale Mela’ in presence of Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai. This year’s theme for the two-day mela is ‘Organic Farming: A Way Forward towards Sustainable Agriculture in Jammu and Kashmir’.

More than 1 lakh people from all walks of life, including students, are expected to visit the two-day mela to buy the inputs of their interest and have first-hand experience of the latest farming techniques & technologies of the various Agri and allied sectors.

The focus of this year’s mela is on organic and natural farming, the creation of an eco-friendly food production, considered better for human health and the environment. The exhibition will not only display various technologies and methods used in such type of agriculture, but the successful organic food growers will display their produce as well. SKUAST-K scientists will hold sessions and interactions for farmers and other interested people informing them about organic cultivation.

Another USP of this year’s mela will be some latest agri-tech startups (including those incubated and promoted by SKUAST-K) using concepts like AI & ML, drone technologies and IoT under the fourth agriculture revolution (Agri 4.0)for solving various farming problems.

Mela provides a platform for farmers, entrepreneurs and others to create, build and establish new opportunities in various agricultural sectors. About 24 Research Stations, seven subject matter faculties, District KVKs from Kashmir Valley and Ladakh of the SKUAST-K, along with the Progressive and adopted farmers of KVKs working under SKUAST-K, will be putting their material on display at their respective stalls in the Mela. Besides, various government departments, MNCs, national companies and local entrepreneurs will project their products and services at the meal.

There will be more than 100 stalls in the exhibition to sell fruit planting material, fish, vermicompost, animal feeds and supplements, herbs, animal and Agri byproducts, vegetable and flower seeds and seedlings. Mela will also exhibit the latest farm technologies, machinery and equipment.

Mela will also witness the participation of the industries associated with agro-chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, veterinary pharmaceuticals etc. Financial institutions like J&K Bank, NABARD, SBI, etc., will be present for exhibiting their various financial services and products aimed at farmers and agri-entrepreneurs.
The mela has become the main attraction for the people over the past few years as a large number of farmers and other interested people visit the event.