The buyer-seller meet was organized at the ATMA’s ‘Kisan Mela’ on Friday with an aim to provide a market platform for profitable agricultural and horticultural commodities under the World-Bank funded Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (APART) Project.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) of Golaghat, Dr. Sangeeta Borthakur, ACS inaugurated the ‘Buyer-Seller’ meet in presence of District Agricultural Officer Ranjit Kr. Sarmah, Senior Scientist & Head of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Khumtai Dr. Bhabesh Ch.Deka, Assistant Chemist (Agriculture Marketing) cum District Nodal Officer of APART Project Ranjan Baruah, Sr. Agricultural Development Officer Joya Goswami; Deputy Project Director of Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) Golaghat Tapan Kr. Mahanta, District Agricultural Marketing Coordinator Bhaskar Pathak and officers and officials of Agriculture department, ATMA and APART Project. While inaugurating the meet, the ADC (Dev.) Dr. Sangeeta Borthakur, ACS gave a brief glimpse of agriculture status of post independence era where food insecurity prevailed due to famines and India was importing food grains from foreign nations. She urged the farmers to be the ‘Ambassadors’ of the department and propagate the seamless extension of technology gained from the agriculture department and projects’ programmes to the fellow farmers in their vicinity for bringing long-term and revolutionary changes in the field of agriculture. However, she said, India has now caught up with the rest of the world with the scientific ways of farming resulting in Green Revolution, White Revolution, Integrated Farming, Natural Farming etc. She also encouraged the farmers to be actively involved and interact with the department and with the officers and officials of ATMA, Golaghat and APART Project in order to avail the various benefits of schemes. The ADC (Development) stressed the need to adopt new technologies in the field so that production could be boosted with the ultimate aim to usher in a new green revolution in the district. She also appraised the buyer-seller meet that progressive and budding farmers should be encouraged to take up new profitable agricultural opportunities like export facilities of their produce in future. She also stressed the need to bring as many farmers under the umbrella of various government schemes as possible in line with the Prime Minister of India’s vision to double the income of farmers. The administrative officer further said that ‘Kisan Mela’ provides a platform for the farmers as well as the others especially the agricultural officers and agricultural extension officials or resource persons and budding farmers for exchange of ideas and information related to agricultural activities. She also urged the farmers to take maximum benefit from the mela so that they can utilise the technical know-how to practise and manage all agricultural practices in a modern scientific manner. The ADC Dr. Sangeeta Borthakur, ACS further added – “The District Administration of Golaghat and District Agriculture Office are working shoulder-to-shoulder for the betterment of farmer community in the district.” Altogether, 100 farmers attended the buyers-sellers meet on Friday.
The inauguration of the Kisan Mela took place on Thursday with the ribbon-cutting ceremony by the Retd. Flying Officer Thagiram Gogoi, father of Captain Jintu Gogoi. Election Officer of Golaghat Election District Sulakshana Borpatragohain, ACS lighted the earthen lamp along with the State President of Akhil Bharatia Marwari Mahela Sanmelan Namita Jallan and other dignitaries. District Agricultural Officer cum Project Director of ATMA Golaghat Ranjit Kr. Sarmah said that Kisan Mela is being organised by ATMA Golaghat as per the directives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. He said that the primary objective of Kisan Mela is to create a platform for the farmers’ fraternity to showcase their products in market linkeage. Assistant Chemist (Agriculture Marketing) cum District Nodal Officer of APART Project Golaghat Ranjan Baruah said that the buyer seller meet was aimed at supporting farmers and Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) to popularise their products in the market and to promote safe food products. Vote of thanks for the inaugural programme was delivered by the Dy. Project Director of ATMA Tapan Kr. Mahanta.
According to the official sources, Farmers-Scientists’ interaction was conducted on Thursday after the ribbon cutting ceremony of the Kisan Mela where several queries of farmers were promptly answered by the officers of the Agriculture department and Scientists from Krishi Vigyan Kendra – Khumtai. The farmers also expressed their field experiences, innovative ideas especially on major crops cultivated by them.
The Deputy Commissioner Dr. P. Uday Praveen, IAS interacted with the officers and officials of Agriculture department and ATMA and APART Project on Thursday. The DC also inspected the stalls setup by ATMA; Health; Krishi Vigyan Kendra Khumtai; Sugarcane Research Station, Buralikson; Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department; Department of Sericulture; M/S J.N. Agro; Sarupathar Agro Producer Company Limited; Evergreen Nursery; M/S Golaghat Tomato FPC; Disoi Farmer Producer Company; M/S Madhuban Nursery; Nabajyoti SHG; Parthana SHG and Mayuri SHG. He urged upon the officers and officials to make people aware of different ongoing schemes and other facilities of the department; ATMA & APART Project. Students of Department of Economics, Debraj Roy College also visited the Kisan Mela on Thursday under the guidances of the HoD Economics Devojit Phukan and Research Technician of APART Project Abhishek Singha. Devojit Phukan said that the students desires to know about the latest techniques of agriculture. The HoD further adds, – “The students knew to learn how to generate self employment in agriculture. The students were given knowledge by the agricultural experts relating to natural farming, bee keeping, importance of farm mechanization, etc.”
More than 20 exhibition stalls were arranged for the benefit of the farmers and around 1500 farmers and urbanites witnessed the event in two days. Overall the participating farmers appreciated ATMA Golaghat’s efforts and felt that such melas give the farmers the technological guidance for increasing the farmers income in a sustainable manner.
Press Release
