Progressive farmers have advocated that integrated farming practices help farmers increase productivity as farming community in Mandya district are facing economic problems owing to sugarcane cultivation.
In the wake of series of suicides of farmers because of mounting debts and crop losses, the Mandya Zilla Panchayat and the Department of Information and Public Relations had organised an interactive session with farmers here on Monday.
Progressive farmers from different parts of the district attended the programme and narrated their success stories. They tried to educate the farmers on integrated farming methods.
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Integrated farming approach was more relevant in the present-day scenario as it could sustain the family, even by owning less than an acre of land, the progressive farmers pointed out.
According to them, the small and marginal farmers should adopt integrated farming to ensure enhanced productivity.
Unfortunately, be it small, marginal or big farmers, a majority of them in Mandya were willing to cultivate sugarcane.
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The trend of cultivating sugarcane had resulted in excess production of sugarcane and was causing agrarian crisis, they said. The farmers were suggested to involve themselves in dairy farming, animal husbandry and focus more on compatible crops, other than sugarcane, to achieve enhanced productivity.
K.T. Mohan from Kothathi, K.H. Ramesh from Kommerahalli, Satish from Chiladahalli, Satish from Karekura, Dyave Gowda from Sunkathonnuru, Nagaraju from Manchanahalli, Narasimhe Gowda from Arkanakere, Lakshmidevamma and Prakash from Beeranahalli, among others, explained their experiences and called upon the farmers to take up scientific farming.
Rohini Sindhuri, Chief Executive Officer of Mandya Zilla Panchayat, inaugurated the programme by distributing saplings to farmers.
She told the farmers to approach their nearest Agriculture Department’s office and seek suggestions and guidance.
“We have organised the programme to instil confidence among farmers and educate them on the improved methods of farming to help them improve their standards of living,” Ms. Sindhuri told The Hindu. Farmers and members of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha from across the district attended the programme. Many of them described the interactive sessions as useful.
Assistant General Manager of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Bindumadhava Vadavi, Joint Director of Agriculture M.N. Rajasulochana, District Information Officer R. Raju, Deputy Director of Agriculture Chandrashekar, Deputy Director of Horticulture K. Rudresh, All India Radio programme officer Keshava Murthy, Deputy Conservator of Forest (Social Forest) Ramalinge Gowda and Deputy Director of Veterinary Sciences Prasadmurthy were present.
The interactive session aimed at instilling confidence among small and marginal farmers.
Rohini Sindhuri,
Chief Executive Officer,
Mandya Zilla Panchayat