Bengaluru Gears Up for Climate-Smart Agriculture Fair Showcasing Innovations and New Crop Varieties

The four-day annual fair with 700 stalls will exhibit new seed varieties, drones, and farming robots to help farmers tackle new challenges in agriculture.

Bengaluru: The annual agriculture fair hosted by Bangalore Agricultural University (GKVK) will be held from November 14 to 17 here, under the "Climate Smart Digital Farming" theme. The fair aims to promote sustainable farming practices and introduce farmers to cutting-edge agricultural technologies. Chief minister Siddaramaiah will officially inaugurate the event in the presence of deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar, agriculture minister Chaluvarayaswamy, and other officials, as per the information provided by university chancellor Dr S V Suresh.

The fair will feature an impressive lineup of advancements, including new high-yield seed varieties to boost farmers' incomes. Attendees will have a first look at the latest technological interventions in the field of agriculture from multi-purpose drones capable of assessing soil and crop health to robotic equipment designed for efficient fertilizer and pesticide application. Other innovations include a fruit grading machine and a soil-regulating rotavator to enhance land preparation.

The event will be held on the grounds of Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra (GKVK) in the city, with a focus on demonstrating climate-smart and integrated farming practices. Highlights include crop variety demonstrations, organic farming displays, advanced agricultural machinery, and workshops on animal husbandry, dairy, poultry, and fish farming. Rainwater harvesting techniques, watershed management, and agricultural automation technologies will also be showcased.

A total of 700 stalls will be set up at the fair, offering practical solutions to common agricultural challenges. Experts will be readily available to guide farmers in seed testing, soil management, watershed practices, and post-harvest processing. For the convenience of visitors, free transportation will be provided from the main gate to the fairgrounds, along with designated parking facilities.

In recognition of outstanding achievements in agriculture, six farmers will be bestowed the Best Farmer Award, while Siddaramaiah will also distribute district and taluk-level awards.

Expressing optimism about the event's attendees, Dr Suresh said over 1.6 million footprints were registered last year and expectations are high for a larger turnout this year too. The fair, organised with support from multiple state departments including agriculture, horticulture, sericulture, and animal husbandry, along with NABARDand Karnataka Milk Mahamandal, aims to empower farmers with the latest know-how and tools for sustainable farming.