The agriculture research must focus on ways and means to help the farmers withstand the vagaries of weather, said Roads and Buildings Minister Malagundla Sankaranarayana while inaugurating a kisan mela at the Agriculture Research Station(ARS) at Rekulakunta in Anantapur district on Monday.
Research on new agri technologies, soil conservation, and varieties of seeds must reach the farmer at the field level so that they can prepare themselves better in the event of excess rainfall or drought, the Minister said.
“Value addition to the existing crops is the best solution for farmers to improve their per-unit income. With millets in good demand, farmers in dryland areas such as Anantapur can grow the crop to earn some money,” Mr. Sankaranarayana said.
The State government was with the farmer at every step, right from providing the in-put under ‘Rythu Bharosa’ to providing seeds and other necessary material through the Rythu Bharosa Kendras, the Minister pointed out.
Singanamala MLA Jonnalagadda Padmavathi congratulated the ARS Scientists on coming out with new varieties of groundnut and jowar and providing new technologies, of which two were on display on Monday. The dignitaries watched the demonstration of hydroponics, and artificial intelligence-guided tractors, that can work in the field driverless.
In all, 65 stalls of private companies and government agencies were set up in the mela where about 2,000 farmers and students from various parts of the district participated.
