Half a century has been completed since All India Radio started agricultural broadcast titled Farm and Home (‘Vayalum Veedum’). As part of the Golden Jubilee Celebration, Kerala stations of All India Radio are conducting State level ‘Vayalum Veedum’ Golden Jubilee Quiz Competitions, involving reputed farmers. The district level Quiz competitions have started with Thiruvananthapuram on 28th June 2016.
The Quiz Competition was conducted at the Farmer Training Hall of Sanghamythry Farmers’ Producer Company, a model farmers’ co-operative headquartered at Pallichal in Thiruvananthapuram. The Quiz and the Farmers’ Meet was inaugurated by Dr. P Rajendran, Vice-Chancellor of Kerala Agricultural University. Shri. R C Gopal, the Station Director of All India Radio, Thiruvananthapuram presided over the function. Former Director of Agriculture, Shri. R Heli was the moderator In the Face-To-Face session of Farmers’ Meet. Director of State Horticulture Mission, Dr. K Prathapan delivered the introductory address. Shri. P M Unnikrishnan Unnithan, Assistant Director (Programs) of All India Radio Thiruvananthapuram, Shri. Muraleedharan Thazhakara, Program Executive – Farm & Home, Shri. A M Sunil Kumar, Additional Director – Department of Agriculture, Shri. S K Suresh, Principal Agricultural Officer, Thiruvananthapuram District, Shri. P A Shamsudheen, State Marketing Manager – IFFCO and Shri. R Balachandran Nair, Chairman – Sanghamythry delivered felicitations at the event.
Eleven teams of two members each, representing eleven Agriculture Assistant Director Offices in the district, participated in the competition. Sri. S Chanthuraj and Shri. V Prakash representing Varkala Block won the First Prize in the Quiz. Second Prize was won by the team from Nedumangadu Block, represented by Shri. G Chandrasekharan and Shri. W Alexander. Smt. Bijumol M S and Shri. Manu K J from Pulimathu Block won the Third Prize. The Quiz was conducted and led by Dr. N G Balachandranath, former Principal Agricultural Officer, Dr. Bindu Gopalakrishnan, Veterinary Surgeon Ottashekharamangalam and Dr. P R Geethalekshmy, Assistant Professor – Vellayani Agricultural College. Radio Sets, donated by Sanghamythri, were given to all 22 farmers who participated in the competition. ‘IFFCO’ cash awards, Certificates and Mementos from All India Radio were awarded to the winners by Dr. P Rajendran, Vice Chancellor of Agriculture University.
More than 15 farmers shared their ideas and opinions in the ‘face-to-face’ session. It is decided to collect such suggestions shared by farmers with regard to various projects to be implemented by central and state Governments and set into a report to be submitted before the Minister for Agriculture, Kerala.
Contributed by :- Shri. Muraleedharan Thazhakara, Programme Executive (Farm and Home)
AIR Thiruvananthapuram, thazhakara10@gmail.com