Seminar held on ‘Family-based agriculture’

Marking Radio Kisan Day, Prasara Bharati, Akashvani and others had jointly organised a seminar on ‘Family-based agriculture’ at the premises of Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) recently. Speaking on the occasion, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Director Dr. Chandregowda opined that the concept of family-based agriculture was going extinct owing to the migration of the youth from rural to urban areas. In the early days, three to four generations of a family used to be involved in agriculture which was also contributing to good rearing of livestock and processing of organic manure.

The weekly shandy in villages was the usual place to market the agricultural produce. The need for preservation of ground water has become vital. To earn more with less inputs, farmers are resorting to cash crops using chemical fertilizers which is a dangerous trend, opined Dr. Chandregowda. The programme was inaugurated by progressive farmer couple from Indi taluk in Vijayapura district Rajashekar Revanna Siddappa Nimbaragi and Renuka by watering a sapling. Addressing the gathering, Rajashekar said that he passed SSLC securing 13th rank in 1974 and took up agriculture.

He recalled that he was using chemical fertilisers to get more yield but faced other problems before advised by an Agricultural Officer to attend an agricultural workshop where he was introduced to organic farming which he has been advocating now and getting good yield. A two-minute silence was observed to pay respects to soldiers killed recently in the terror attack in Kashmir. Families of farmers participated in the seminar and shared their experiences. Akashvani Assistant Director H. Srinivas, Engineering section Director Sunil Bhatia and other were present.