300 take part in Kisan Mela in Chamba

Chamba, February 23

The Himalayan Forest Research Institute (HFRI), Shimla, organised a Kisan Mela in collaboration with the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Saru, Chamba, at Kalsui village on Friday. Nearly 300 people from Kalsui and surrounding villages participated in the event.

Forestry for additional income

• The HFRI, Shimla, provides an opportunity to farmers, gardeners and other stakeholders to observe technologies developed by various organisations and encourages them to adopt forestry activities for additional income generation
• The institute has done significant work in the area of temperate medicinal plants and released important species of medicinal plants in the temperate region
• A technique has also been developed for inter-cropping medicinal plants with horticultural crops

Kanchan Devi, Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, was the chief guest on the occasion. Devi, who belongs to Chamba, is the first woman Director General of the council.

Jagdish Singh, Head of the Extension Division and Coordinator of the fair, said the theme of the Kisan Mela was “Continuous development through forestry technologies”.

HFRI director Sandeep Sharma expressed confidence that farmers would benefit from this fair.

Jagdish Singh informed the farmers about the research activities being carried out by the institute. During the Kisan Mela documentaries on medicinal plants, bamboo and other plants of temperate Himalayas were released along with pamphlets on black poplar, white poplar, cedrus and agricultural and forestry techniques.

The HFRI, Forest Department, Horticulture Department, Agriculture Department, Animal Husbandry Department and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, also showcased products and technologies developed by them in an exhibition.

At a technical session, scientists and experts extensively discussed with the farmers topics such as high-density planting for superior varieties, quality planting material for increased productivity, use of mycorrhiza for income generation, and pest and disease management in agriculture and forestry.

Kanchan Devi said the ICFRE, along with its regional research institutes and centres, had a nationwide presence in various biogeographic regions of the country. The HFRI, headquartered in Shimla, is one of the important institutes of the Council, which fulfils the forestry research needs of Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

”The institute and its establishments are focused on the development of forestry activities, dissemination of research results, and technologies so that the outcomes of research can easily reach the end users,” she said.