The three-day Central Agricultural University (CAU)-Regional Agri Fair 2018-19 began at the CAU campus at Eroisemba here in Manipur on Friday.
The agri fair was organized by CAU under the sponsorship of Ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare, Government of India, Coconut Board, Government of India and National Horticulture Board, Government of India.
The fair held under the theme ‘Agripreneurship for attracting rural youth to Agriculture, ’ was participated by more than 50 stalls including representatives from constituent colleges of the CAU in seven North East states.
Manipur assembly speaker Yumnam Khemchand inaugurated the mega event of the year in presence of the Chancellor Dr S Ayyappan of the CAU, Vice Chancellor Prof M Premjit Singh and three former Vice Chancellors of the university which have a total of 13 colleges under different disciplines across seven NE states.
Speaking on the occasion, Speaker Khemchand CAU plays an important role in modernizing the farm sectors. He also expressed the need to have production of quality food and for this the scientists and the farmers need to have time to time interaction.
In his speech Chancellor Dr Ayyappan called upon the farmers community to target at least a profit of Rs 1 lakh from an agriculture land measuring 1 acre.
On the other hand highlighting the achievement of the CAU in the last 25 years, Vice Chancellor Prof Premjit said that the institute which ranked 13th best agriculture varsity among the country’s 74, has so far organized 65 capacity building programmes, 88 farmers training programmes,736 farm demonstration programmes through six krishi vigyan Kendras in the region. Many publications of CAU including a souvenir was also released during the occasion.
Innovative farmers and progressive farmers from different land based departments, educational and research institute, Non-governmental organizations and self-help groups of the region, the krishi vigyan Kendra and important input dealers and agri-preneurs are likely to participate in the show activities in the fair to showcase their innovative ideas in developing modern agriculture.
This is a very good opportunity to disseminate research advances in location-specific farm technologies, other inputs and also to bring awareness regarding projects being handled by the university and state governments to sensitize all stakeholders besides encouraging the innovative farmers for motivating the farming communities and to understand the problems as well as feedback from the farmers dwelling in near and far flung areas in the region.