Exhibition by students, honouring of farmers mark the event

Exhibition by students, honouring of farmers mark the event

‘Farmers Festival’ held at SRM College of Agriculture Sciences BABURAYANPETTAI, 12.08.23

Honouring of pioneering and innovative farmers, stalls by students of agriculture and horticulture and cultural events formed part of the Uzhavar Peruvizha – Farmers’ Festival held at SRM College of Agriculture Sciences at Vendhar Nagar in Baburayanpettai near Ac hchirupakkam in Chengalpattu district on Saturday.

Overwhelming response :

Over 2,000 farmers from Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and Villupuram districts participated in the festival. Talks by experts on in cr easing produce per acre, pest and water management, application of technology and many other aspects of agriculture and horti cultu re formed part of the event.

In his address, Dr. C.Muthamizhchelvan, Vice Chancellor, SRMIST, appealed to farmers to follow best water management practices, es pecially in those places where groundwater was depleting due to several reasons. With rapid industrialisation, large tracts of arable la nd gave way for factories. Further, real estate expansion resulted in the farmlands being converted as residential plots.

Appealing to the farming community to adopt technology for effective farming and to increase their produce, Dr. Muthamizhchelvan said the current generation of farmers were moving away from agriculture, which was another important reason for vast areas of ara ble land to go fallow. He said that SRMIST was giving top priority to agriculture and the College of Agriculture Science would emerge as one of the finest institutions in this domain in the years to come.

Chancellor’s Birthday Celebrations:

Dr. M.Jawaharlal, Dean, SRM College of Agriculture Science, said that more than 1,500 farmers took part in the event, organised to m ark the 84th birthday celebrations of by Dr. T.R.Paarivendhar, MP, Founder Chancellor, SRM Group of Institutions and SRM Institute o f Science and Technology. He said that the vision and mission of Dr. T.R.Paarivendhar for SRM College of Agriculture Science was for quality education, research, and extension – where the knowledge and expertise of the institution reaches farmers.

The young institution, established only a few years ago, offered graduate, post-graduate programmes in agriculture and horticulture. Dr. Jawaharlal said that exhibition featured 14 stalls of students and 10 stalls by private companies. He appealed to farmers to appro ach their institution for any information they need for pest, disease control, and water management.

Dr. S.Ponnusamy, Registrar, was also present. S.Pandian, innovative and pioneering farmer, and national award recipient, was honour ed on the occasion. He had created a record of sorts by cultivating 119 tonnes of sugarcane in one acre of land. This was made possib le as he adopted the most modern agriculture practices, including water management, and cultivation of small vegetable crops there by improving soil quality.

The students’ stalls touched upon horticulture, fruits and vegetables processing, value addition, waste management, protected cultiv ation, commercial horticulture, manure and fertiliser testing, silk, and mushroom cultivation, bee-keeping, bio-control of pests, and a griculture engineering among others.

Cultural programmes by students, including traditional martial arts and dance was also held on the occasion.
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PHOTO CAPTION/CONTENT FOR SOCIAL MEDIA+

PHOTOS 1 AND 4: Dr. C.Muthamizhchelvan, Vice Chancellor, SRMIST, interacting with students at one of the stalls in the exhibition at Uzhavar Peruvizha – Farmers’ Festival held at SRM College of Agriculture Sciences at Vendhar Nagar in Baburayanpettai near Ach chirupakkam in Chengalpattu district on Saturday. Dr. S.Ponnusamy, Registrar, SRMIST and Dr. M.Jawaharlal, Dean, SRM College of Agriculture Science, is also present.

PHOTOS 2 AND 3.: Dr. C.Muthamizhchelvan, Vice Chancellor, SRMIST, honouring S.Pandian, innovative and pioneering farmer, and national award recipient, at Uzhavar Peruvizha – Farmers’ Festival held at SRM College of Agriculture Sciences at Vendhar Nagar in Baburayanpettai near Achchirupakkam in Chengalpattu district on Saturday. Dr. S.Ponnusamy, Registrar, SRMIST and Dr. M.Jawaha rlal, Dean, SRM College of Agriculture Science, is also present.