Karnataka - Belgaum   

Kannada handbook on scientific agricultural practices soon

Showing their skills: Blanket weavers from Sankeshwar giving a demonstration at the ‘Krishi Mela’ in Belgaum on Wednesday.

Belgaum: The University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, will bring out a handbook on scientific farming practices in Kannada soon for the benefit of farmers.

Announcing this on the occasion of the two-day “Krishi Mela” here on Wednesday, Vice-Chancellor of the University G.H. Kulkarni said the book would have all information on scientific farming techniques. The book would help farmers to develop a scientific approach towards agriculture and increase productivity, he said.

Registrar of the university Vijaykumar Torgal said that farmers should take advantage of technological innovations in the agriculture sector to bring down the cost of cultivation. Proper management of available resources and use of modern implements would go long way in making farming cost-effective and also boost productivity, he said.

Deputy Commissioner M.E. Shivalingmurthy, who inaugurated the mela, called upon the farmers to realise importance of organic farming practices and cultivate crops which would fetch them better price in market. He advised the farmers against excessive use of chemicals and fertilizers.

“A scientific approach to farming to improve productivity by economic use of water and minimum use of chemicals and fertilizers on one hand and preserve soil fertility on the other hand is the need of the hour,” he said.

The “Krishi Mela” is being organised by nationalised banks under the auspices of Syndicate Bank, the Lead Bank for Belgaum district, to make farmers aware of various loan schemes, farm mechanisation methods and use of solar power.

Corporation Bank, Canara Bank, State Bank of India and Central Bank of India are among the prominent banks participating in the event. The departments of Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Husbandry have also joined hands with the banks in organising the event.

An exhibition of various products of banks, agricultural implements, solar energy equipment, homemade food products, khadi and products manufactured by village and cottage industries is also being held. Mr. Shivalingmurthy also stressed the need to take advantage of drip irrigation system for cultivation of short-term crops.

The banks had loan schemes to encourage drip irrigation systems. But, farmers should make use of these schemes in purposefully, he said.

He advised the officials in the Department of Agriculture to keep the farmers informed regularly about various schemes introduced by the Government and those offered by banks.

Belgaum Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer N. Prabhakar appealed the farmers not to commit suicide. He asked them to make use of the Government schemes and loan facilities by banks to improve their income.

Belgaum Krishik Samaj president Lingaraj Patil, chief manager of Syndicate Bank Jaichandra and Lead Bank manager S.M. Desai also spoke.

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