ICAR- Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi is organizing a three-day mega Regional Agricultural Fair at Shahanshahpur campus from 03^rd to 05^th February, 2024. Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister of Uttar Pradesh Shri Surya Pratap Shahi will be present as the chief guest in the fair. Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Dr. Himanshu Pathak along with senior officials from ICAR such as DDG (Hort), Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, DDG (Extension), Dr. US Gautam, ADG, ICAR, Dr. Sudhakar Pandey will also be present on the occasion.

Director, IIVR, Dr. Tushar Kanti Behera told that this fair is being organized on human health and farmer prosperity through advanced agricultural practices, agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, advanced cultivation of vegetables, polyhouse, high tech nursery, organic farming, processing etc. Technical sessions will be organized on topics like value addition, agricultural mechanization, drones, pest and disease management in which agricultural experts from across the country will interact with the farmers.

This fair is being organized in collaboration with Association for Promotion of Innovation in Vegetables, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, State Government, Government and private establishments. The main attraction in the fair is the vegetable exhibition and display and sale of agricultural inputs/implements by various organizations. Many other dignitaries from state and central government, universities, ICAR institutes, agri-business institutes and various companies and more than 5 thousand farmers from 6 different states are participating in the three-day long fair.

Dr. Behera said that in 2022-23, there was a record production of 330 million tonnes of food grains and 350 million tonnes of horticultural produce in the country. Today, our country is not only self-reliant in food production but also exporting agricultural products to foreign countries. This success story includes important contributions from farmers, policy makers, scientists and many stakeholders. For food and nutrition security in the future, there is a need to pay more attention to issues like climate change, storage, marketing, processing and self-employment from agriculture.

The Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR) was established in Varanasi in 1999 to promote systematic vegetable research in the country. This is the only institute in India which is completely dedicated to vegetable research where research work is being done for new improved varieties of vegetables, their cultivation technology and effective control of pests and diseases. So far, 76 open-pollinated and 12 hybrid varieties of vegetables have been developed by the institute. Along with this, seeds of improved varieties of vegetables are also being produced. The technologies developed by the institute are disseminated to the farmers through front line demonstrations, farmer seminars, training, farmer fairs etc. This Kisan Fair is a meaningful effort in this direction. Dr. Behera has appealed to the farmers of the region nearer to the institute to participate in maximum numbers and acquire information about advanced agriculture through various sessions being organized in the fair.

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