Farmers apprised of agri technologies

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 17

The department of farm machinery and power engineering, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), in association with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Fatehgarh Sahib, organised a ‘Technology and machinery demonstration mela’ at Badaushi Kalan village, district Fatehgarh Sahib.

As per the mandate of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, the machines and technologies developed under the All-India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRP) on agricultural engineering such as farm implements and machinery (FIM), ergonomics and safety in agriculture (ESA) and energy in agriculture and agro-based industries (EAAI) should be demonstrated to farmers at regular intervals. The mela was organised with the same aim.

A large number of technologies and machines developed under these schemes, operational at PAU, were showcased at the mela, in which more than 400 farmers and schoolchildren participated.

VP Chahal, assistant director general (Agricultural Extension), ICAR, New Delhi, was the chief guest on the occasion. In his remarks, he urged farmers to adopt varietal diversification, sow quality seeds, get soil tested, make judicious use of pesticides and fertilisers, keep farm records, and manage paddy straw by adopting recommended technologies. He also asked the farmers to attend such melas regularly to update themselves about agriculture and allied enterprises.

Jaskarn Singh Mahal, director of extension education, laid stress on the management of paddy straw in fields and methods to save water with the help of university recommended technologies. He also urged farmers to have regular interaction with university experts. He laid emphasis on adopting auxiliary occupations, such as nursery raising, hybrid seed production, beekeeping, mushroom growing for additional income.

Gursahib Singh Manes, additional director research (Farm mechanisation and bio-energy), motivated farmers to adopt mechanical transplanting of paddy crop. Manjeet Singh, head, Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, PAU, briefed farmers about the mandate of the AICRP schemes and objectives of the mela. Vipan Kumar Rampal, deputy director of training, Fatehgarh Sahib KVK, informed the attendees about various activities of the KVK and urged them to remain connected with KVKs for technical advice.

The mela concluded with distribution of university literature to the farmers.

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