Farmers asked to adopt multi crop cultivation system

Udupi, Oct 13 (UNI) University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) Vice-Chancellor Dr M N Sheelavanthar today stressed the need for small landholders to adopt integrated multi crop cultivation system to survive in the globalised era and make agriculture sustainable.

Presiding over 'Krishi Mela-2006', he said the varsity had developed a model of integrated multi-farming in one acre of land, in which besides taking steps to increase the ground water table and soil fertility, cultivation of cereals, horticultural crop, fish breeding and rain harvesting have also been taken up for the sustenance of farmers.

He called upon the farmers to seriously think of value-added products instead of directly marketing their raw production. At present 93 per cent foodgrains produced by farmers was going directly to the market in raw state without processing. In the globalised era, the slogan should be changed to 'Low cost, high return production' which could be possible only by taking up organic farming and producing bio-agents, he added.

Former Minister and Bramhavar MLA K Jayaprakash Hegde, who inaugurated the mela, gave a call for taking the results of researches taken up in laboratories to farmers. The farmers should also go in for organic farming and horticulture. Besides, the Government agriculture extension officers should go to the doorsteps of farmers to make them aware of the various Government schemes meant for the farming community and recent advancements taking place in the field.

The mela was jointly organised by the varsity, Regional Agricultural Research Centre, Bramhavar, Department of Social Forestry, Krishik Samaj of Udupi and Mangalore and Sri Kshetra Dharmastala Rural Development Project at Bramhavar near here.

UNI MA GD SKB1910