Ministers N Chaluvarayaswamy and K Venkatesh honour progressive farmers, with awards, at Farmers' Dasara, in Mysuru.
Credit: DH Photo
Mysuru: Eighteen Progressive farmers with motivating tales were awarded in Karnataka. The farmers were educated by farmers on adopting latest techniques and technologies at the Farmers Dasara, at JK Ground, in Mysuru.
"With patience and perseverance, by ascending one step at a time, steadily, we can achieve our goals," said Manjula Naganna from Bommanayakanahalli of T Narsipura taluk, who bagged the best farm woman award.
She added, "I started rearing one cow, 15 years ago, along with my husband. Now, we have 10 cows and get 65 litres of milk per day. We have sold 15 cows. We are maintaining coconut trees, growing maize, farm grass required for cows on one acre of land. We built a house, educated our daughter, now a software engineer, conducted her wedding also. Government incentives for the milk get delayed some times. But, the payment is guaranteed. So, one should not give up hope".
Suhas Sridhar from Devanur of Nanjangud taluk rears 120 cows, 80 calves and gets 500 litres of milk per day. Channakeshavegowda from Madapura of Nanjangud taluk won an award for practicing forest, agriculture, horticulture, and sericulture. He has grown 2,000 sandalwood trees, 1,000 each arecanut and silverwood trees, 50 jackfruit trees, 10 jamun trees on two acres of land. He is also cultivating vegetables and sells his produce directly to the market.
At the expo, H K Puttamma Srikantegowda, a farm woman from Korebommanahalli of Mandya district, showcased innovative garlands, flower bouquets, flower baskets crafted from cocoons. "After my husband suffered loss in fertiliser business in 2014, we embraced farming on our three acre land. Now, we cultivate sugarcane, paddy, banana, kagada flowers (a kind of jasmine), and have trees of coconuts and fruits like butter fruit, jackfruit. We also grow vegetables. If farming is practiced with passion, success follows automatically. I learnt cocoon craft from sericulture department in 2018. Now, I have trained some women of self help groups. As the bouquets last long, there is good demand," Puttamma shared.
In the event, Prashanth, MD, Mysore sandal soaps and detergents, spoke on sandalwood farming and marketing. M N Thimmegowda, lecturer of Agriculture Science at GKVK Bengaluru, spoke on sustained agriculture. G Nayan Deepak, a scientist on fruit science from Central horticulture lab from Chettahalli, Kodagu, spoke on exotic fruits and vegetables, and their health benefits. Farmers were entertained with folk songs by Devananda Varaprasada and team, and a humour show by Gangavathi Pranesh.
The stalls at the Expo of Farmers' Dasara highlighted all the government programmes available for farmers. They also showcased the latest farm technologies. Shirsi-based Vaishnavi Bhat of government horticulture college created awareness on Pisciculture, cultivation of crops by showcasing products like turmeric. Bhat said, "At a time when many are quitting farming, I chose to study horticulture. There are multiple opportunities if we take up farming systematically and scientifically," she said.
The expo featured Hallikar cows, owned by Bannur-based Rahul Gowda, which cost Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh; long-ear sheep of Siddique from Bengaluru long ear goat breeders association and Dorper sheep of Deepak of Maddur taluk, which cost Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh; Bandur sheep of Ningaraju of Chandahalli of Malavalli taluk, Mandya district which cost Rs 2 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. There were Revane breed goats as well, besides Tharparkar, Vongol, Punganur, Ghir, Saahivaal breeds of cows at the expo.
Sunitha Huliraiah from Kushkere tribal hamlet of HD Kote taluk, who had come along with her self-help group members, was fascinated to see so many varieties of goats and cows, besides learning about latest farm technologies.
Fish Mela
Fish mela at J K Ground showcased information on Pearl culture, nourishing Mud crab and integrated fish culture/pisciculture. People, especially kids, were fascinated to see variety of fishes displayed in aquariums in the mela including angel fishes, mollies, barbs, sharks, sword tail, guppy, gourami, pearl spot, colourful vidow tetras, tilapia, flower horn, koi carp, cichlid, spotted scat fish, kuchchu, marel and others.