A two-day agriculture fair and exhibition was organized at Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, depicting the pride, prosperity, and the progressive farmers of a self-reliant India. On 27 February, 2023, on the closing ceremony of the fair, the farmer brethren, received answers to several queries and relevant information was communicated at the numerous stalls.
The 13th installment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme was also released to the farmers. This installment will contribute to the development of the agriculture sector. The chief convenor of the Agri -Expo, Dr. Anil Kumar welcomed the gathering. Dr. US Gautam, Deputy Director General (Agriculture Extension), ICAR New Delhi, was the chief guest on the concluding day. Dr. Adarsh Singh, Divisional Commissioner Jhansi, Dr. Vinod Kumar Student Manager Dr. Sanjay Singh Director General UPCAR, Uttar Pradesh, Junaid Ahmed CDO Jhansi, Pulkit Garg Municipal Commissioner etc. were special guests. Dr. Anand Kumar Singh, Deputy Director Horticulture ICAR New Delhi, addressed the Expo through the online platform.
The Expo and Kisan Mela were presided over by Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh, Vice Chancellor, Rani Laxmi Bai Central Agricultural University. The guests, through their respective speeches, suggested avenues and possibilities of agricultural product processing and export in Bundelkhand. They remarked that to increase the production, processing, and branding of agricultural products in Bundelkhand, there is a need to increase the product quality and subject experts need to come forward to increase production of pulses, oilseeds, coarse grains, and horticulture in Bundelkhand, and to make it a regional identity.
Special products of Bundelkhand like kathia wheat, ginger, tulsi, betel leaf, groundnut etc. can be given GI tagging to increase their export potential. Further it was felt that in the field of horticulture, experts will have to work for ensuring quality of plants and their certification. By increasing the participation of youth(Arya Project), progressive farmers, and women in agriculture, income and employment can be generated through agricultural product processing, value addition, and packaging. Income can be increased by taking production throughout the year, adopting integrated farming systems, diversification, and new techniques.
Also, the social and economic development of the area can be strengthened. The university needs to take concrete steps to provide technical assistance to FPOs in Bundelkhand, and cultivation of dates, chironji, ber, dragon fruit etc can be promoted. It is possible to develop entrepreneurship by starting agriculture start-ups for agricultural students and youth.
Divisional Commissioner Dr. Adarsh Singh said that at present the country is celebrating Amrit Kaal, Jhansi Mandal has received the maximum investment proposals in the conference held in the state. The challenge lies in getting those proposals off the ground. This year has been declared as the International Millet Year. Red Kathia wheat of Bundelkhand region is very beneficial for health, and is in huge demand, but is not available anywhere other than this region. Hence farmers can benefit by producing Kathia wheat in a scientific way. He further said that the climate of Bundelkhand is favorable for the cultivation of nutritious grains in which there are immense possibilities. Jalaun's peas and Jhansi's groundnut market is the biggest market of the state. He appealed to the farmers to take advantage of the Agriculture University.
Jhansi Chief Development Officer Junaid Ahmed said that agri start-ups have an important role in agriculture, and if Kathia wheat gets GI tag, it can be easily promoted. He also praised the ginger produced in Baruasagar. Municipal Commissioner Pulkit Garg said that we have to become job providers and not job seekers. Start-ups can be launched and farmers can ne engaged. The Jhansi Municipal Corporation will soon select 30 start-ups and train them. Chief Guest Dr. US Gautam DDG, Delhi said that farmers will have to work according to Bundelkhand’s environment. It may be a rocky area, but there are immense possibilities of pomegranate, ber, chironji, dragon fruit etc. The Government of India runs several schemes for the farmers and the farmers are being benefitted by them. 721 Krishi Vigyan Kendras are working for the farmers across the country. Krishi Vigyan Kendra has done the first line demonstration on the fields of 6800 farmers.
The Vice Chancellor, Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh said that Bundelkhand region has its own specialty, its climate bears something that cannot be grown anywhere else. The farmer produces his crop but getting the right price is the biggest challenge. He said that earlier the farmers here used to import nutritious food grains and this nutritious grain has to be brought into the mainstream farming. He said GI tag, high quality nurseries, start-ups of pulses etc. have to be explored for export opportunities while ensuring the participation of farmers, scientists, entrepreneurs etc.
A total of 4 technical sessions were organized in this conference, in which – Experts from all over the country, shared their views on possibilities of value addition and export in agriculture, expansion of agricultural production union and startup, possibilities for promotion and export on pulses, oilseeds and main crops, challenges and forest products of Bundelkhand, fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants.
An Android based mobile app, 'Bundeli Agricultural Marketing', has been developed in the project “Integrated Platform for Agri-Entrepreneurs (Farmer-Consumer-Entrepreneur)” funded by Agricultural University and NABARD. The app was released and inaugurated by the guests. Through this mobile app, farmers, consumers, and entrepreneurs of Bundelkhand will be able to connect with their consumers and showcase their products in a better way. University agricultural scientists Dr. Tanuj Mishra, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, Dr. Arpit Suryavanshi, Dr. Shailendra Kumar and Saurabh Singh Gaur are involved in this project. NABARD, APEDA, Bundelkhand Chamber of Commerce, State and District Administration of Jhansi and Uttar Pradesh Government have played an important role in the conference. The farmers appreciated the new models of farming in the fair, and queried about them.
While appreciating this fair, the Divisional Commissioner expressed his gratitude to all the officers including the Vice Chancellor of the University for inviting them to this program. On this occasion, an MOU was signed between the University and Tara Blooms Private Limited. On the concluding day of the fair, farmers were demonstrated drone-flying techniques. The Shri Anna and DWR Jabalpur stalls got the first place in the educational institution category in the fair. NHRDF, New Delhi got second place and Bundelkhand University got third place. For first place in the category of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Shivpuri, M.P, Bharari was second and Jalaun, in third place. In the farmer group category, Balini, Jhansi got first prize, Manpura Mushroom Jhansi and Basant Mahila FPO got second and Aakar, Jhansi got third prize. In private and NGO category, IFFCO stood first, BAIF UP, second and RCOT eva Agri Science got third prize. All these awards were given by the Vice Chancellor. On this occasion Dr. A.R Sharma, Dr. S.S Singh, Dr. S.K Chaturvedi, Dr. B.K Vehra, Dr.V.P Singh, Dr. S.S Kushwaha, Dr. Mukesh Srivastava, Dr M.J Dobariyal , all the officers of Grassland, CAFRI, Agriculture Department, Horticulture Department, and Jhansi Division were present along with the Heads of the Departments of the University, scientific, academic and non-academic employees. The stage was moderated by Dr. Alka Jain and Dr Nishant Bhanu.
