The ICAR-IIVR (Indian Institute of Vegetable Research) is set to host a three-day Mega Regional Agricultural Fair at its Shahanshahpur campus from February 3rd to 5th, 2024. The event aims to focus on human health and farmer prosperity through the promotion of advanced agricultural practices across various domains. The Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Surya Pratap Shahi, will attend the occasion as the chief guest. Senior ICAR officials, including DDG (Hort), Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, DDG (Extension), Dr. US Gautam, and ADG, Dr. Sudhakar Pandey, will also be present at the fair in addition to ICAR Director General, Dr. Himanshu Pathak.
Thematic Focus and Technical Sessions
Dr. Tushar Kanti Behera, Director of IIVR, highlighted the thematic focus of the fair, emphasizing advanced agricultural practices, animal husbandry, fisheries, polyhouse cultivation, high-tech nursery, organic farming, and processing. Technical sessions are scheduled on vital topics like value addition, agricultural mechanization, drones, and pest and disease management.
Leading agricultural experts from across the country will interact with farmers during these sessions. The fair is a collaborative effort involving the Association for Promotion of Innovation in Vegetables, ICAR, State Government, and various government and private establishments.
Wide Participation and Key Figures
Dignitaries from state and central governments, universities, ICAR institutes, agri-business institutes, and numerous companies will participate. More than 5,000 farmers from six different states are expected to attend the three-day event.
Dr. Behera reflected on the wonderful achievements in agricultural production, citing a record production of 330 million tonnes of food grains and 350 million tonnes of horticultural produce in the country during 2022-23. India is now not only self-reliant in food production but also exporting agricultural products globally. Dr. Behera acknowledged the significant contributions of farmers, policymakers, scientists, and stakeholders to this success story.
Future Challenges and Focus Areas
Looking ahead, Dr. Behera stressed the importance of addressing challenges such as climate change, storage, marketing, processing, and promoting self-employment in agriculture for future food and nutrition security.
IIVR's Legacy in Vegetable Research
Established in Varanasi in 1999, IIVR is the only institute in India entirely dedicated to vegetable research. The institute has developed 76 open-pollinated and 12 hybrid varieties of vegetables, focusing on improved cultivation technology and effective pest and disease control. Seeds of these improved varieties are also produced by the institute and disseminated to farmers through various channels, including farmer fairs.
Encouraging Farmer Participation
Dr. Behera urged farmers in the region to actively participate in the fair, emphasizing the importance of acquiring information about advanced agriculture through the various sessions organized during the event. The Kisan Fair is a meaningful effort to further the institute's mission of disseminating valuable agricultural knowledge to the farming community.
