Grand finale to agriculture fair
O J George

Farmers had a feel of the explosion of knowledge available in the field. Children were drawn to the unending expanse of science wisdom. Giant-sized crops exhibited at the fair were the cynosure of the mela. Evenings reverberated with songs, dance and other entertainment programmes. Various stalls provided an ocean of information for the common folk. The 10-day farmers’ fair, which has by now become a by-word for the people all around, held under the auspices of the Gandhiji Study Centre chaired by P J Joseph, drew to a close on December 31.

It was a colourful festival, held on the sprawling campus of Newman College, Thodupuzha. The peculiarity of this festival, regularly organised annually since 1989, is that a permanent venue has been fixed at Thodupuzha. Gandhiji Study Centre’s first farmers’ fair was organised at Kottayam. Dr U R Anantamurthy, who was then Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University, had suggested that there should be a permanent venue so that the event would be anticipated by people and could be organised on a perennial basis. P J Joseph accepted the proposal and has been mobilising the agriculture fair single-handedly, as opposed to the subsequent fairs and exhibitions being got up by government, agricultural varsities and other organisations.

The all-inclusiveness of this fair has been noteworthy. Commoners can participate and even win prizes as a matter of right for their well-earned produce and meticulously reared cattle-heads. Information, participation and entertainment for the real sons of the soil, tillers and farmers, are being provided on a platter. That is the grass-roots dimension of the fair. There is a diametrically opposite involvement, which is intended to provide help to the commoners.

The latest developments in agriculture research and the findings of experts are incorporated in the mela. Scientists from agricultural universities, central agricultural research institutions, ISRO, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Rubber Board, Spices Board, fisheries institutions, Coconut Development Board, Department of Atomic Energy, agriculture department etc participated in various seminars, discussions and lecture-demonstrations. ISRO, Spices Board, Coconut Development Board, Oil Palm, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Agirculture University, Farm Information Bureau, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kerala Police and various State Government departments etc had put up stalls showcasing their products, achievements and capabilities which are of use to the farmers, workers, students and the people at large. Private institutions also got an opportunity to display their products.

Seminars held on various days concentrated on farmers and debt relief, ornamental fish farming, inland water fish farming, water conservation