– Spearheaded Raithu Dinotsavam to strengthen role of agriculture in India –
TAFE successfully conducted ‘Farmer’s Day’ in Ongole on Feb 25, 2012, aimed at reaching out to the farming community and enabling them get the best out of their farms through direct interactions with various agri-experts all at one platform.
Farmer’s Day is one of the unique outreach initiatives undertaken by J Farm and an outstanding example of Corporate Social Responsibility by TAFE. The thrust of this event was on farming & pest management practices and farm mechanization for improving production of pulses, cotton and rice. The event saw participation of over 300 farmers from Ongole and neighborhood areas.
The eminent speakers at Farmer’s Day at Ongole included Dr. Bhaskar Rao, Associate Dean of College of Agricultural Engineering; B. Ramesh, State Head, Tractor Loan, HDFC Bank; and Mr. SK. Allu Bakshu, RTO, Ongole. The sessions at the one-day event were complemented by demonstrations and displays of the latest techniques and scientific practices in farming and related areas like seed bed preparation, introduction to hybrid varieties of seeds, methods for efficient irrigation, agri-credit, crop protection, harvesting, storage and other farm related practices. Experts from State Department of Agriculture and other agricultural universities shared their expertise based on the specific crop cultivation pattern of the area.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. SS Nagarajan, Vice President (Agri Research) of TAFE said- “Through this Farmer’s Day event, we would like to encourage farmers to accelerate the pace of agricultural development in fulfilling the national task of achieving self reliance in food production. Through consecutive successful Farmer’s Day events organized in the past, J Farm has been able to considerably enhance the content and knowledge takeways for this Ongole event. “Our mission at J Farm is to lead farming communities at the local and national levels towards sustainable, organic stewardship of land, food and fiber while respecting nature, upholding social justice and protecting natural resources.”
Officials from financial institutions and government bodies also shared information on agricultural loans, subsidies and policies available to farmers and provided clarifications for their queries and concerns. Progressive farmers of the area were recognized and honored and encouraged to share best practices with the rest of the farming community. The first Farmer’s Day event was held in Madurai, at TAFE’s Kalladipatti plant in May 2006. The practice has been observed every year since then and is celebrated across varied geographies and cultural mixes in India.