Collector urges farmers to embrace modern methods at Tirupati Kisan Mela

Amid a looming national farm labour shortage, the ‘Kisan Mela’ organised in Tirupati highlighted the urgent need for mechanisation.

The event was conducted by the Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) for the benefit of farmers from Tirupati, Chittoor, Nellore, Kadapa, and Annamayya districts.

Apart from encouraging mechanisation, the Kisan Mela also focussed on natural farming, crop diversification, value addition to the end product and post-harvest management techniques to make farming remunerative.

Tirupati District Collector S. Venkateswar, who formally inaugurated the event, advised the farmers to think beyond the routine agricultural practices and adopt contemporary methods.

“Farmers have become attuned to the traditional sowing and harvesting stereotypes, which needs to change. You have to join hands to form Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), adopt technology and mechanisation, take up value addition and marketing and importantly, follow the advice of agricultural scientists and officials, to earn more produce,” he said.

ANGRAU Vice-Chancellor Saradha Jayalakshmi, former Vice-Chancellor V. Damodara Naidu, Srikalahasti Agricultural Market Committee Chairman R. Chenchaiah Naidu, officials of the Agriculture and Horticulture Department and progressive farmers took part.