The three-day Krishi Mela conducted by the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Mandya, which culminated on December 7, brought renewed focus on the need for sustainable and integrated agriculture and the imperatives of value addition to agricultural production.
The event also reinforced the need to promote market linkages and technology adoption to make agriculture more lucrative. During the three-day mela, the importance of institutions like UAS, Mandya, in reaching out to farmers and ensuring that research in laboratories reaches the farm land was highlighted.
A recurring theme of the fair was the need to reduce dependence on chemical inputs and revive organic and natural farming practices.
Speakers and experts expressed their concern about the continuous reduction in cultivated area, with many farmers using only parts of their land and compensating for this by high use of chemical fertilizers.
As Mandya, Hassan, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu are largely dependent on rainfed management, participants emphasized that sustainable land and water management should form the backbone of future strategies.
Nishchalanathananda Swami of the Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana Mutt called for a decisive move towards sustainable and integrated agriculture, saying agricultural universities must prioritize practices that improve soil health, reduce dependence on chemicals and help farmers secure stable incomes. He expressed concern over the growing rift between farmers, livestock and land, saying it could endanger future generations.
Swami also said that UAS, Mandya, should play a central role in providing practical guidance to farmers in Mandya, Hassan, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu where there is extensive rainfed farming practice. He emphasized that Mandya should be treated as a “field laboratory” for research-driven yield improvement.
He further added that the Krishi Mela highlighted the deep agricultural roots of the district and thanked the government for upgrading the research station at Mandya into a full-fledged agricultural university.
Stating that the country recognized that its economic progress depended on strengthening agriculture, he said the main objective of the policy must remain to improve farmers’ incomes. Government schemes, scientific research and market linkages are already helping individual farmers make remarkable progress and wider adoption would accelerate rural growth, the seer added.
Awards were also given to progressive farmers from five districts under the jurisdiction of UAS Mandya. Previously, sustainability through integrated agriculture, agro-forestry systems and technologies, crop value addition, marketing systems and export opportunities, agribusiness and opportunities for a strong economy were discussed.
Shivaratri Deshikendra Swami of Suttur Mutt, Darshan Puttannaiah, MLA, Melkote, Harini Kumar, Special Officer, UAS, Mandya and others were present.
Published – 07 Dec 2025 18:38 IST
