Amid festivities and fervour, the two days long 7th Technology Exhibition cum Seed Mela of SKUAST-Kashmir concluded at its main campus Shalimar, Srinagar.
This year the Mela was celebrated with the theme of organic and natural farming, had all the organic inputs as well as organic production technology at display as well as sale for all.
Advisor to Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, UT of Jammu Kashmir, Farooq Khan, inaugurated the event in a simple but impressive function in the presence of Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Pandurang. K. Pole.
The Mela was organised under the dynamic leadership of Honourable Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K Prof. Nazir Ahmed Ganai and with overall coordination by Directorate of Extension SKUAST-K.
All the statutory officers of the university, heads of different facilities, research stations and Programme Coordinators of different Krishi Vigyan Kendras from Kashmir and Ladakh were present besides, Director SKIMS Soura Prof. Parvez Ahmed Koul, Director Agriculture Kashmir Iqbal Choudhary, Director CITH O.C. Sharma and Deputy Director Research from Sheep Husbandry Kashmir also graced the inaugural ceremony of the Mela.
The huge Mela also witnessed the participation of officers from line departments viz agriculture, horticulture, sericulture, rural development, elected representatives of District and Block Development Committees members of Jammu and Kashmir Kissan Board, health, banks and different financial institutions, from Information department to print and electronic media , social media journalists, and large number of farmers, farm women, youths, entrepreneurs, students, input dealers, the NGOs, and all other stakeholders involved in agriculture and allied sectors.
Although the weather was not so favourable with intermittent showers going on the second day, yet it could not deter the farmers from coming to the Mela.
Since early morning the excited visitors, farmers and farm women irrespective of their age, with their kids, family and friends from different parts of the division including from UT of Ladakh, had started coming to the Mela to have a glimpse of the new technologies and latest interventions emerging in this field besides amusement and enjoyment after a long spell of confinement in houses due to Covid -19.
Many farmers were heard saying that they have come there to believe the things only by seeing them personally. Anticipating huge rush in the event, the University had made elaborate arrangements for parking of vehicles and for displaying of various products in various stalls by different stakeholders.
Contractors had set up food courts where both vegetarian as well as non vegetarian food was available for visitors. Different entrepreneurs including orchardist, the mushroom growers, the vegetables growers, the floriculturists, the livestock rearers, the poultry farmers, the aqua-culturist, the sericulturists, the input dealers, the farm machinery representatives all were seen displaying as well as selling their products in their respective stalls.
Hon’ble Advisor Farooq Khan released six new publications made by directorate of research and extension including a book on success stories of 50 progressive farmers. While expressing satisfaction, the chief guest observed very keenly various products and technologies at display and interacted with various stakeholders.
Advisor Khan expressed satisfaction over the endeavour of the university to bring technology within the reach of all, through Kisan Mela. The first startup company “Apple Doc”, incubated by the University, was launched at the hands of the Chief Guest.
The University has the honour of being CBBO (Cluster Based Business Organisation) and has established two FPOs by the names Umeed Ki Kiran and Sheikh-ul-Aalam; promoted by KVK Budgam they were presented registration certificates.
The Advisor suggested the honourable vice Chancellor to organise such melas in different parts of the region on a regular basis so that the farming community can be benefitted from different technological interventions, superior seed and plant material of the university.
Innovative farmers and incubators, startup holders were awarded. The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir P. K. Pole too was also seen taking keen interest in the technologies related to organic and natural farming and deliberating on various aspects with different stakeholders.
The students of the University, from different faculties, had also organised a cultural show. All the visitors enjoyed music and singing. As a goodwill gesture, certain input dealers were serving free Kashmiri kehwa to employees of SKUAST-K. There was a huge rush on the stalls where planting material related to different horticultural crops was put to sale.
Poultry birds, vegetable seeds, processed products like jams, jellies, pickles, tomato purees, different kind of oils, honey and many other products were also sold in good quantities by different entrepreneurs. Javed Iqbal, a young entrepreneur from Srinagar, who was there in the Mela with his stall selling honey, aloe vera and other products had all the praise for the Mela as this gave him a platform to sell his products for which otherwise he had to go door to door.
Like Javed, the Mela provided market to many other entrepreneurs. Private seed dealers of the region also remained busy during the two day event selling seeds of different crops and varieties at concessional rates.
Organic farming stalls included vermicomposting, vermiwash, bio-fertilisers, bio-control agents, bio-organic nutrient management, and organic waste treatment. Different sustainable integrated farming system, sustainable environmental and organic models were also at display depicting how local resources can be put to use based on the concept of reduce, reuse and recycle.
Another attraction of the Mela this year was the promotion of innovative progressive farmers as champion farmers. These champion farmers have proven that agriculture is a profitable enterprise by excelling in various fields like vermicompost, organic farming, integrated farming systems, horticulture production, animal rearing and management and in many other aspects.
They were physically present in the Mela as well as their contribution was depicted through the flex standees which carried a brief introduction of them, their innovation/technology generated, impact and monetary benefits arrived at.
The creativity and innovativeness of the students and young entrepreneurs was also being displayed at various stalls, depicting various startups and some specifically related to agriculture established by them. There was also a rush at the special help desk created for the farming community of the region at the Mela.
At this help desk farmers were seen taking up their queries with the respective subject matter specialists/Experts of SKUAST-Kashmir. Several financial institutions and other organisations had also set up their stalls providing information about their different products. Aspiring entrepreneurs, youths and farmers were also seen in good numbers there.
Another attraction of the two day event was the promotion of concept of ‘Earning by Learning’. Students from divisions like horticulture and food processing were seen serving/selling eatables made from the local products to the visitors in the Mela.
‘Waste to Wealth’ depicting how the waste material can be made into valuable products was also a unique feature presented by the students of SKUAST-K
In the livestock stalls, different indigenous as well as exotic and imported breeds of cow, sheep and rabbits were at display. The Directorate of Sheep Husbandry had displayed their elite imported ram, twin lambs born after artificial insemination of ewes carrying fecundity gene – the first in the history of department – and various breeds of rabbits for display. One very special attraction was the imported Australian Merino weighing about 97 kilogram.
The star of the show was locally produced elite rams by national awardee breeder Hilal Ahmed Yatoo (one of them was weighing around 123 kgs at 16 months) whose efforts for breeding and maintaining quality animals were highly appreciated by Hon’ble Vice Chancellor.
Such elite animals are a resounding proof of the potential of local sheep and as such promise a great future for sheep entrepreneurship. Beside various free and on sale literature by ATIC of SKUAST, Sheep Husbandry Department also displayed its recent publications such as Sheep Breeder’s Dairy, Success Stories of Sheep Farmers, Sheep and Goat Genetic Resources and Disease Investigation Lab. Nowshera, Marching Towards Excellence etc.
The University library and many Divisions of different faculties displayed core publications written by local scientists. Besides number of foreign breeds being maintained at Mountain Research Centre Shuhama, polycerous ram were also a source of attraction. A huge crowd of people stressed for sale of elite animals.
The visiting children from various schools were greatly fascinated with small rabbits and poultry birds present on display and sale in the mela. The university had also set up a sale counter for sale of poultry birds like, Kroiler silky birds and Kadaknath.
Younger visitors were greatly fascinated by small multi coloured attractive rabbits, love birds and livestock models.
The fact that SKUAST –K is well recognised as institution of excellence was made amply clear by virtue of abstracts of scores of valuable projects on local problems undertaken by various scientists and centres associated with the SKUAST.
Endangered varieties of rice including Mushki Budji, Red Rice (Zag tomul) and locally produced Basmati, different varieties of fruit, vegetables and other agriculture products were displayed.
The University Regional Research Stations had displayed diverse varieties of agriculture and horticulture produce for sale and demonstration. Varied rootstock of High Density Apple and locally produced apples besides Peach, Plum, Kiwi, Orange and other fruit plant material were displayed.
Local creativity was at its best displayed in calligraphy and use of waste material including wood at some stalls. KVK from UT of Ladakh displayed woollen and Pashmina products and had made available many Ladakhi value added products and dishes including apricot soup, Buckwheat qahwa, momos and Thokpa.
Livestock Products Division, Shuhama presented for consumption a new milk product that was greatly appreciated. Division of Animal Biotechnology displayed its ongoing projects that are set to transform the future of livestock sector. A number of stalls displayed highly sought publications for use of professionals and breeders.
Overwhelming faith in SKUAST and its products was evidenced by overwhelming interest in buying its products. The Divisions of Veterinary Parasitology, Livestock Production and Management, Animal Genetics – to name only a few – had made extensive documentation of local problems and resources and presented their publications.
The success stories of champion farmers were, among many others, newer additions to the Mela. Budding and established entrepreneurs and artistically gifted entrepreneurs were presented a window to present their work. Huge sales were reported by the select stalls.
Hon’ble Vice Chancellor and director extension of the University personally supervised each and everything and accompanied all the dignitaries to different stalls, and appreciated coordination within different departments and stakeholders for the successful conduct of the various activities.
Some of the youth when asked at the end of the Mela to tell what they have gained from this event told that they were going back home enriched and with new enthusiasm.
The inclement weather made little difference to the enthusiasm of visitors. We invite people to consider visiting SKUAST and participate in its exhibitions and provide feedback on various projects and interventions to serve the community in future.
Prof. Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi, Director Extension, SKUAST-K
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.
The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.