A one-day workshop, held at the Zonal Agricultural Research Station (ZARS, V.C. Farm) on the outskirts of Mandya town on Wednesday, has underlined the need for farmers to hold group discussions and visit farmlands of progressive cultivators to improve farming practices and thereby yields.
T. Shivashankar, Dean, University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS-B), addressed the farmers and urged them to regularly visit the fields of those who are employ modern farming practices.
The establishment of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK), UAS, and other agencies has stopped farmers from continuing age-old practices such as visiting fields of other farmers to enhance their knowledge to get better yields, Mr. Shivashankar lamented.
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“Transferring knowledge from achievers to other farmers is the need of the hour when the State is reeling under drought. Many progressive farmers who have technical, experimental capabilities have already invented a good number of products to simplify farming practices and address the issue of labour scarcity. Such farmers are playing an important role in improving farm practices through their inventions. Utilisation of such equipment would help farmers get better yield and save more money,” Mr. Shivashankar said.
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The farmers were also urged to adopt integrated farming practices to effectively tackle the agrarian crisis.
Vishveshwari Bhangi, assistant director, V.C. Farm, assistant extensional director Venkatesh, subject experts C.M. Savitha and Kamalabai Kudagi, assistant trainer H.M. Mahesh, progressive farmer K.C. Shivaram and farmers from different parts of the district were present.