Sri Vijaya Puram, Mar 01: The Kisan Mela–2026 was inaugurated 27th Feb, at ICAR–Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-CIARI), Sri Vijaya Puram. Inaugurating the event as the chief guest, Dr. A. K. Nayak, Deputy Director General (Natural Resource Management), ICAR, New Delhi said that the commencement of the Kisan Mela signifies a special occasion dedicated to farmers and urged farmers to embrace the advanced technologies presented during the mela to boost productivity and economic returns. He also pointed out that the growth of tourism in the Islands has had a positive impact on the rural economy and has created new opportunities for farmers.
Dr. A. Velmurugam, Assistant Director General (SWM), ICAR, New Delhi; Dr. B. Augustine Jerard, Project Coordinator (Palms), ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod; Mr. Rakesh B. Pangat, Deputy General Manager at NABARD, also addressed the gathering.
In his welcome address, Dr. Jai Sunder, Director, ICAR-CIARI, emphasized the need for farmers to adopt institute-developed technologies to enhance agricultural productivity and achieve better economic returns.
During the mela, various divisions of ICAR-CIARI displayed technologies related to horticulture, fisheries, animal science, natural resource management, and crop improvement. A total of 16 stalls are set up, featuring technological exhibits from ICAR-CIARI, the Department of Agriculture, NABARD, SBI, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), PPVFRA, and private organizations. Approximately 400 farmers and farm women participated in the programme and interacted with scientists and experts, making the event a vibrant platform for knowledge exchange and technology dissemination.
Earlier, the Deputy Director General and ADG, visited the various experimental farms of the institute, including the World Coconut Germplasm Centre (WCGC. During the visit, he inaugurated Sanvardhan, the primary plant hardening facility, and also inaugurated the indoor portable carp hatchery unit.
