Bidar: The Government is planning to set up a think tank of farmers in each village. This knowledge bank will comprise progressive farmers trained in advanced agricultural techniques, and they will disseminate information to other farmers, senior scientist of the University of Agricultural Sciences Ravi Deshmukh has said.

He was speaking at a workshop for farmers conducted by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development here on Monday.

Such a step was part of the State's agricultural policy. It was also one of the recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan Commission for Farmers, Mr. Deshmukh said.

The advantage of such a body would be that farmers would get exposed to changed practices in their village. They could visit the fields of successful farmers every day and interact with them, he said. The district has around 333 Vikas Voluntary Vahini farmers' clubs. Representatives from these clubs were participating in the training programme, Nabard district development manager H.N.R. Rao said. Farmers were also visiting the farms of grape exporter Ravi Manda, pomegranate exporter Rajeshwar Shivacharya Swamiji of Tadola and low- cost organic farming promoter Pentareddy Patil, Mr Rao said.

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha district president Vishwanath Patil Koutha, and District Central Co-operative Bank vice-president Narayanrao Manhalli were among those present.

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