Events
KRISHI YANTHRA MELA-III 2015
‘Krishi Yantra Mela-III 2015’ (Mega Agriculture Machinery Fair)
The ARDF, in association with the CAMPCO Ltd, Mangalore and Vivekananda College of Engineering and Technology, Puttur had already conducted two Yantra Melas, one during 2009 and another during 2012 at Puttur, Dakshina Kannada Dt, Karnataka and both were very successful. Since then, several new inventions have been made by different innovators and available in the market worldwide.
Now a days there is an urgent need of simple and cost effective machineries for the day to day farm and post harvest operations for Areca farmers. In order to introduce and exhibit new and effective machineries and innovations to these farmers in one common platform, another Krishi Yantra Mela was organized in a big way for three days from 24th to 26th January 2015 at Vivekananda College of Engineering and Technology, Puttur: 574 203, Dakshina Kannada Dt., Karnataka. This mela was designed to give maximum interaction between Scientists, Farmers, Innovators, and Manufacturers by way of discussions, exhibitions and demonstrations.
This Yantra Mela was a good opportunity for different Companies, Innovators, Manufacturers of Agriculture related Machineries from all over India and abroad to exhibit their products and impress upon our farmers to purchase and utilize them in farm and post harvest operations. More than 250 Stalls exhibiting different kinds of Agricultural Machineries and allied equipments were arranged in this Mela. Several of them took part in the live demonstrations organized on all three days in the evening. Nearly three lakh farmers and other dignitaries from different states attended the Fair.
In order to encourage Engineering Students to develop more and more Agriculture related Projects, awards were instituted in the name of ‘Varanashi Subraya Bhat’ with a first prize of Rs 50,000/- and a second prize of Rs 25,000/- with appropriate citations. Accordingly, more than 45 such Projects from nearly 20 Engineering Colleges and Polytechnics were exhibited in this Fair. Two best projects were selected and awarded. Apart from the Engineering Students, about ten farmer Innovators had also participated with their new invensions. Some high School Students had also exhibited their projects. They were all properly felicitated with mementoes.
The Dharmadhikari of Shree Kshethra Dharmasthala, Dr D. Veerendra Heggade who is also the President of ARDF inaugurated the programme. Sri Ananath Kumar, Union minister for chemical and chemical fertilizers inaugurated the Exhibition stalls. Union minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Sri G. M. Siddeshwar hoisted the Co Operative flag. Sri Nalin Kumar Kateel, Member of Parliament was the special guest during the event.
A first day cover with the portrait of Late Sri Varanashi Subraya Bhat, the founder of CAMPCO Ltd was released by Mrs Indriya Anurag, Post Master General, South Karnataka Region. A special issue of the Agricultural Magazine, ‘Adike Pathrike’ was released by Dr D. Veerendra Heggade. Sri Manchi Srinivas Achar, one of the Trustees of ARDF and also the Publisher of Adike Pathrike briefed the occasion. Sri Shree Padre, a renowned Journalist and the Chief Editor of this magazine co-ordinated this programme. A Directory on the Agriculture Machineries exhibited in the Fair was also released by Dr D. Veerendra Heggade. Sri Balarama Acharya, President of Vivekananda College of Engineering and Technology, Puttur and Sri Sudarshan Rao, HOD, Mechanical Department, VCET, Puttur together co-ordinated this event.
The Managing Trustee of ARDF and President of CAMPCO Ltd, Sri Konkodi Padmanabha welcomed the dignitaries and Sri Balarama Acharya proposed Vote of Thanks. Grand cultural Programmes were arranged on 24th and 25th evening.
A novel programme – “Kisan Samsat” was arranged in the afternoon wherein the farmers asked the questions and the Parliament Members answered them. More than a thousand farmers participated in it. Sri B S Yediyurappa, Ms Shobha Karandlaje and Sri Konkodi Padmanabha were on the dias.
On 25th forenoon there was a Seminar on ‘Coconut Neera’. It was presided over by Sri Shatharam Hegde, one of the Trusees of ARDF and also the Chairman of TSS, Sirsi. Dr. K B Hebbar, Principal Scientist, CPCRI, Kasaragod; Sri Sathish of Palakkad Coconut Producers Society and Sri Vijayakumar Hallikeri of CDB, Bangaluru were the Resource Persons. The Journalism Students of Vivekananda Degree College, Puttur had published several articles on KYM 2015 in the form of a Magazine – ‘Vikasana’. The same was released by Sri Shantharam Hegde and distributed in the venu. In the afternoon there was a Seminar on ‘Solar Energy’. It was presided over by Sri Narasimha Nayak, another Trusee of ARDF and also the Vice President of MAMCOS, Shivamogga. Dr Naganagouda, Director of NTCST, Bengaluru;
Dr R. Suresh Kumar of Renewable Energy, Bengaluru and Sri Harish Hande, CEO, SELCO, Bengaluru were the Resource Persons.
On 26th Forenoon Sri Jagadeesh Shetty Nellikatte, President of Puttur Town Municipality hoisted the National Flag in the venue. This was followed by a Seminar on ‘Management of Wildlife Menace in Agriculture’. It was presided over by Dr Linganagowda Kulkarni, Principal, VCET, Puttur. Sri Mahesh Iyer of Grus Ecosciences, Bengaluru; Sri P S Bhat Upponi, a farmer Researcher from Honnavar,; Sri Bharath Kumar Shetty of Agro Burglar Sirens, Shivamogga; Dr Prabhakar from Pest Control (India) Pvt Ltd were some of the Resource persons. Sri Shree Padre was the chief Coordinator of all the three Seminars.
The valedictory ceremony was organized on 26th January at 6.00 pm. It was presided over by the Managing Trustee of ARDF and the president of CAMPCO Ltd. Sri Konkodi Padmanabha; Professor A V Narayana, President of Vivekananda Polytechnic Puttur, welcomed and Sri B Thimmappa Shetty, one of the Directors of CAMPCO Ltd proposed Vote of Thanks. Sri Ramachandra Bhat Kudoor, a Mechanical Engineer and Proprietor of M/S Class Weld Industries, Mangaluru who was also the team head for assessing the Projects of Engineering Students, announced the winners of Varanashi Subraya Bhat Awards and Sri Konkodi Padmanabha gave away the Prizes. Vice-president of the CAMPCO Ltd, Sri K Sathish Bhandary; The Managing Director of CAMPCO Ltd, Sri Suresh Bhandary M; The President of Vivekananda College of Engineering and Technology, Puttur Sri Balarama Acharya; The Secretary of Vivekananda educational institutions, Puttur, Sri E Shivaprasad and The Executive Officer of ARDF, Mangaluru, Dr S Keshava Bhat, were also present on the dias.
For more details, please contact the Convenor, Krishiyantramela III 2015 / mail to krishiyantramela2015@gmail.com or ring 0824-2441584 / 09480197368.
‘Krishi Yantra Mela-II 2012’
Mechanization is an important and urgent need of the farming community especially Arecanut Farmers. In that context, the ARDF; the CAMPCO Ltd, Mangalore; Vivekananda Engineering College, Puttur and certain other Co-operative Societies of Areca growing areas had jointly organized ‘Krishi Yantra Mela-II 2012 from 2nd to 4th November 2012 at Vivekananda College of Engineering and Technology, Nehru Nagar, Puttur: 574 203, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka.
In this mela more than 150 stalls were displayed. Manufactures of Agricultural Machineries, Innovators of new Agricultural Machines, Machineries manufactured and imported from other countries, Farm irrigation and Plant protection equipments, improved Areca Peeling Machines, Machines meant for Dairy technology, non-conventional energy resources were exhibited. Multi dimensional demonstrations and Agriculture Seminars were also arranged. More than 1.5 lakh farmers from different Southern States participated in this three days event.
‘Krishi Yantra Mela-I 2009’
In India agriculture is suffering much due to acute shortage of manpower. This is especially true in Arecanut cultivation where the farmers depend on skilled man power for climbing and dehusking. Mechanization in all fields of Agriculture is only the answer for such situations. With this in view, the Arecanut Research & Development Foundation ®(ARDF); in association with the CAMPCO Ltd. Mangalore; Vivekananda Vidyavardhaka Sangha and Farmer First Trust, Puttur, had jointly organized for the first time Krishi Yantra Mela for three days from 30th October to 1st November 2009 at Vivekananda College of Engineering and Technology, Nehru Nagar, Puttur: 574203, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka. The main objective of this fair was to exhibit and introduce different kinds of areca dehusking machines in one platform for the benefit of farmers.
In this fair about 30 different kinds of Areca Dehusking Machines and three spraying systems were displayed and demonstrated. Face to face discussions with the innovators & manufacturers and Agriculture related Seminars by renowned Scientists were also arranged on all three days of the event. About 30,000 farmers from different regions of Karnataka and Kerala had participated in the fair.
