Bengaluru, Nov 10 (IANS): The University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) here is organising the three-day Krishi Mela 2020 from November 11 to 13 on its Gandhi Krishi Vigyana Kendra campus in a most subdued manner, UAS Vice Chancellor Rajendra Prasad said here on Monday.
Due to the Covid-19 protocols, the three-day Mela, which used to have 3-4 lakh footfalls daily till last year, will allow not more than 200 persons every hour this time. Hence, the university will depend more on virtual media sites to reach out to more number of farmers.
Fifty selected persons, including awardees and farmers from each taluka, have been selected for participation.
"UAS-Bengaluru has a jurisdiction of 10 districts and invitees will be selected from these districts only. Invitees from three districts on each day will be allowed for on-campus visits due to Covid," Prasad said while speaking to reporters here.
He added that this time the theme is 'Farm to Palm', and the university will depend mostly on virtual mediums like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and Zoom.
He added that through these platforms, experts will be connecting with the farmers and discuss their problems and try their best to resolve them.
"I know it would not be as good as physical presence in Krishi Mela, but due to the changed circumstances and the Covid-19 pandemic, we are forced to depend on virtual mediums," he said.
The VC added that the mela has been organised to introduce new technologies and innovations to farmers. "Some of the special new variety of crops will be released such as drought-resistant peanut and cowpea, besides new variety pest-resistant millets," the VC said.
According to him, the three-day event in 2019 had witnessed a footfall of 14 lakh people and did a turnover of Rs 1 crore exclusively by selling plants and home-garden implements.
"This is an all time record. We had more than 750 stalls last year. But this time we are not having any stalls, instead we will be having department wise stalls where experts will be sitting and explaining viewers about the respective departments' technologies," he said.