Ludhiana: Water-wise farming need of the hour: Khush
Presiding over the mela, Satbir Singh Gosal, vice-chancellor, PAU, described the mela as an international mela due to its online viewership crossing 50,000 this year; he promoted the sowing of new rice variety PR 132, adoption of tar-wattar direct seeded rice (DSR), use of modified combine with drill attached as prefix, obtaining of trainings for skill development and subscription of PAU YouTube and Facebook channels for knowledge upgradation
Advocating economic stimulus and future security while combating agrarian challenges, a two-day Kisan Mela kicked off at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) on Friday.
World Food Prize Laureate Gurdev Singh Khush, known as the ‘paddy daddy’ for his work in rice improvement, inaugurated the mela. Lauding PAU’s varietal and machinery development efforts, he emphasised the urgent need to adopt PAU-recommended short-duration paddy varieties and avoid early sowing to preserve Punjab’s dwindling water table. “We must keep groundwater sustainability at the forefront,” Khush cautioned, “if we want a long and prosperous agricultural future for Punjab.”
Presiding over the mela, Satbir Singh Gosal, vice-chancellor, PAU, described the mela as an international mela due to its online viewership crossing 50,000 this year. He promoted the sowing of new rice variety PR 132, adoption of tar-wattar direct seeded rice (DSR), use of modified combine with drill attached as prefix, obtaining of trainings for skill development and subscription of PAU YouTube and Facebook channels for knowledge upgradation. Lamenting the decrease in cotton acreage from 7.5 lakh to less than 1 lakh, Gosal called for an increase in the cotton area in Punjab.
Sharon Benes, professor, California State University, USA, expressed concern over warmer weather, increased water supply and groundwater depletion issues. She disclosed that 2014 law enactment in California was set to conserve water resources by 2042 through the sustainable use of water. She also advocated sowing of non-water intensive crop varieties and knowledge-exchange between PAU and California State University to address agriculture-related challenges.
Gurreet Singh Brar, professor, California State University, USA, introduced the US students and urged for strengthening bilateral ties between Punjab and California through student-exchange academic programme.
Charanjit Singh Batth from Fresno, California, USA, made a call for fortifying education system through student-exchange programme between PAU and US-based universities.
MS Bhullar, director of extension education, called upon the agricultural community to go in for cost-cutting through the adoption of improved crop varieties and agricultural technologies, seek skill-related trainings from Krishi Vigyan Kendras of their respective districts and visit the stalls of self-help groups, which were promoting agri-businesses for financial growth
At the mela, seven progressive farmers were feted for excellence in agriculture, horticulture and allied occupations.
