Pulwama, Feb 20: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Kashmir (SKUAST-K) is set to host its Agri-Tech Mela, Gongul, featuring 350 stalls from progressive and champion farmers.
Speaking to Rising Kashmir, Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K, Professor Dr. Nazir Ahmad Gania, said that three day 10th Agriculture Technology Mela, which will begin on February 22, has been branded as Gongul, a term that signifies a traditional Kashmiri practice marking the beginning of the sowing season.
The Vice Chancellor highlighted that this year’s event will showcase around 350 stalls, featuring contributions from champion farmers, progressive farmers, agriprenuers, agri-industrialists, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and the university itself.
“The 10th Agri-Tech Mela is a reflection of the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP),” he said, adding that all aspects covered under HADP in the past few years will be displayed during the three-day event.
The VC said that 350 stalls is a significant number. He added that stall owners were charged for setting up their stalls on the university campus.
“This is the maximum number we can accommodate,” he said, explaining that they had to close their portal for new stall erection requests.
“This demonstrates SKUAST-K’s credibility and the trust people have in the university,” he said.
One of the major attractions of the three-day mela, according to the Vice Chancellor, will be the display of 52 start-ups initiated by SKUAST-K students and faculty members.
“This is the highest number of start-ups by any agricultural university in the country,” he said, adding that SKUAST-K has registered 52 patents in the last three years, with 31 patents filed in the previous year alone.
