GONGUL – 10th SKUAST-K Agri-Tech Mela: A curtain raiser

By: Dr. Parveen Kumar

GONGUL, that is onset of sowing and out of curiosity, as I wanted to learn more about the word on internet, I found the word also finds mention in the poetry of Hazrat Sheikh Aalam  Sheikh Noorudin, the most revered saint of Kashmir and known as Alamdar-e-Kashmir also. His poetic collections are best known for creating awareness about natural resources, our flora and fauna, our forests and ecology and their conservation. He used the word Gongul in his poetry for a kind of inaugural function of the sowing season when on the first day of sowing, dry fruits and Tehri was distributed. In one of his works, Gongal-nama, he likens the people who toil the land as the chosen people of God. The poem draws on the daily lives of peasent classes of Kashmir and elevates practices associated with farming to the status of religious rituals.

 So, I feel that there could have been no better word to describe 10th Agri-Tech Mela of SKUAST-Kashmir scheduled for Feb. 22-23 with the theme ‘Prosperity through Secondary and Sustainable Agriculture’. SKUAST-K under the leadership of Prof. Nazir A Ganai would have been on the toes, 24*7 for last so many months to make this grand annual event a grand success. I was recently listening to him on Kashmir images where he spoke briefly on various aspects of the upcoming event. In his open appeal to all, farming community which comes from diverse rural settings; he also called masses from urban areas to participate pro-actively to see how SKUAST-K is shifting agriculture in this region from subsistence to commercial and sustainable one. Prof. Ganai further told that among the major attractions will be display of technologies developed by SKUAST-K, display and sale of seeds and high quality planting material, innovative entrepreneurs showcasing their prototypes/products, champion farmers nurtured by university, startups developed under the mentorship of university faculty, patented technologies, industry exhibit, Organic & Natural Farming, FPO’s show where in different Self Help groups/Farmer Producer Companies and Farmer Producer Organizations will also participate with various kinds of niche products. There will be about 300 stalls with an expected footfall of about 2 lakhs, said Prof. Ganai.

From the last nine years, this has been a routine annual activity of SKUAST-K reaffirming its commitment for betterment of farming community of the region. It also is an opportunity for the farm varsity to engage itself pro-actively with different stakeholders with the ultimate aim of disseminating various technologies and interventions to the ultimate end users. Different constituent units of SKUAST-Kashmir including the front level extension institutes at the district level i. e the Krishi Vigyan Kendras will also be the backbone of this mela. With the SKUAST-K going global, participation from across the globe is also expected in the mela.

 ‘Gongul’ this year being celebrated with the theme ‘Prosperity through Secondary & Sustainable Agriculture’ will focus on:

Sustainable Agriculture through Natural Farming: With an outlay of more than 2,480 crores, GoI has started National Mission for Natural Farming (NMNF) to promote NF practices for providing safe and nutritious food for all. NMNF is launched as a shift to scientifically revive and strengthen agriculture practices towards sustainability, climate resilience and healthy food for farmer families and consumers. In the next two years, NMNF will be implemented in 15,000 clusters in Gram Panchayats, which are willing, & reach 1 crore farmers and initiate Natural Farming (NF) in 7.5 lakh Ha area. Preference will be given to areas having prevalence of practicing NF farmers, SRLM / PACS / FPOs, etc. Further, need-based 10,000 Bio-input Resource Centres (BRCs) will be set-up to provide easy availability and accessibility to ready-to-use NF inputs for farmers. SKUAST-K will also contribute to this mission with a special focus on technologies demonstrating microbial preparations like Jeevamrita, Beejamrita, Agniastra, and Brahmastra, inputs like Bio fertilizers, Bio-control agents, bio organic nutrient management, and organic waste treatment. There will be eleven stalls on Natural Farming in this Mela, as told by Director Extension of the University.

Sale of inputs/products: The mela is decided at a date when the sowing/planting season is all set to begin. As such, farming community needs different kinds of inputs like hybrid and HYV of seeds, fertilizers, organic manures, plant protection chemicals, high quality planting material and farm implements. The mela will have all kinds of inputs and farm implements which can be purchased by all. Many input dealers and private agencies will be there displaying their products and inputs.

Empowered Farmers: Empowered farmers will be another attraction of the two days event. Farmers of the region including farm women and youths who by dint of their hard work and intellect have proved themselves and to others that agriculture is still a remunerative enterprise. They will be there in the mela depicting and showcasing their innovative technologies and products.

Fruit/Vegetable/Flower/Seed shows: All such type of shows will enable the farming community of the region to come with their unique produce/products and display them for all others to see and get motivated. University will also reward the farmers for their innovative products and produce.

HADP Exhibition: The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has started a Holistic Agriculture Development Plan (HADP) for development of griculture and allied sectors and empowerment of farming communities. Various achievements of the university as well as of the farmers under HADP will also be at display in this two days event.

Processed Products show: Food processing is referred to as the sunrise sector in India. Unfortunately, the level of food processing and value addition in the country is very low. One of the reasons for this low level is lack of awareness. This Mela will specially focus on this aspect wherein various ethnic value added food products made from different traditional crops will be at display. As the focus now is largely on promotion of millets also called as nutri-cereals, the Mela comes with a unique opportunity to raise awareness about the nutritional and health benefits of these nutri-cereals.

Startup and Tech Show & Industry Exhibition: Various Startups in agriculture sector nurtured and mentored by SKUAST-K have caught the attention of global community due to their immense potential in income and employment generation opportunities. Gongul will also give an opportunity to those young entrepreneurs to depict their business models and technology. Similarly, an Industrial Exhibition will also be a win-win situation for both industry as well as farming community. It will give an opportunity to farming community to promote their products for further procurement by industrial houses and also provide opportunity to the industrial houses to demonstrate their products for purchase by the farming community.

Children’s Amusement Fest: The educational institutes of the valley will also be attending the mela wherein the students will learn more about agriculture and various farming practices. This mela besides an Amusement Fest for them will definitely attract them and inspire them to try their fortunes in agriculture.

Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (MAPs) and Mushroom show: The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is also endowed with a wide range of useful plants. The medicinal and aromatic plants constitute an important part of the flora. It contains a wide variety of trees, medicinal plants and herbs. Besides, Mushrooms are a highly valued source of nutrients for us, but most of us do not know their health benefits A special show aimed at awareness of the masses regarding various useful MAPs & the products made from them and mushrooms’ so that the farmers get motivated and start cultivating them will also be there.

KVK Excellence show: KVKs are the face of university extension system. They are the ones entrusted with the task of taking technology to the fields and also ensure that the farmers adopt that technology. The KVK Excellence show will be a platform for these KVKs to demonstrate the results of the intervention and technologies disseminated by them from the farmers’ fields. Mega Farmers’-Scientist interaction: Another feature of the mela will be the Farmers Scientist interaction where the farming community can interact with concerned experts for on spot redressal of the problems faced by them.

Agri art & Craft show: Stalls depicting agri-based art and craft like paper machie, wood art will add to the attraction of GONGUL. These stalls will give a boost to the creativity of local artisans.

Pet & Animal Show: The mela will also have a Pet & Animal show. Different Pets and Hybrid and high yielding livestock including cattles, goats and sheep will also be star attraction of mela. Different Poultry breeds will be demonstrated in the two days event. The poultry will also be available for sale.

 Mela will also promote Digitalisation by stressing on smart agriculture technologies, precision farming, agricultural drones and different mobile apps. It has been observed that most of the programmes and schemes of the government as well as other agencies do not reach the ultimate beneficiaries due to the lack of awareness and knowledge. To make them aware and guide them regarding various programmes and schemes different development departments as well as financial institutions like J&K Bank, SBI, ICICI, NABARD, HDFC and many other organizations will be there to guide and aware all. Prof. Raihana H Kant who has recently taken over as Director Extension also highlighted the role of GONGUL in fostering knowledge exchange between researchers, farmers’ and industry besides dissemination of technologies relevant for the farming community.

 I wish Hon’ble Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K, Prof. N. A. Ganai and his team all the best for the coming event and join Hon’ble Vice chancellor in his appeal to all through this article to participate in this two days event.

The author writes on agriculture and social issues; can be reached at [email protected]