Category: Agriculture

** Early-yielding jackfruit variety ready for release

Called Mangala Early, it is said to be a farmers variety

Saplings of an early-yielding jackfruit variety from whose trees fruits can be harvested from late November is all set to be released in the city in June.

A joint private initiative of B. Sarvesha Rao, a nursery owner, Gururaja Balthillaya, a well-known grafter of the coastal belt, and Gabriel Stany Veigas, a retired District Forest Officer (DFO), who is a pioneer in raising a jackfruit orchard spread over 10 acres in the coastal belt, the variety has been named Mangala Early. It is a farmers variety.

The plantation of Mr. Veigas at Neerakere in Tenka Mijar village near Moodbidri has about 900 trees/plants of different jackfruit varieties with many of them bearing fruit now. It is probably the largest jackfruit orchard in the coastal belt now. He began planting them in 2013-14.

** Water challenge offers ₹2.5 crore in prize money

The programme for start-ups and innovators working on solutions to provide clean drinking water to the underprivileged and rural households will run for 18 months

The/Nudge Foundation and Ashirvad Pipes, in partnership with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Central Government, announced a prize for start-ups and innovators working on solutions to provide clean drinking water to the underprivileged and rural households.

The initiative is aimed to support solutions that address population-scale water challenges. With a total prize of ₹2.5 crore, the programme would run for 18 months and would support entrepreneurs in developing, testing, and scaling solutions through a network of investors, mentors, technology and knowledge partners, and policy circle advisors, stated a release.

** Solar-powered milking machines: Sunny side to dairy products from Chitradurga

The solar-powered milking machine was introduced by ‘SELCO’, a pioneer in spreading awareness about solar energy. The machine runs on a DC motor, making it financially viable for the farmer and comfortable for the animal. Sharing his experience of using this innovation, Devaraj – a dairy farmer from Hariyabbe village of Hiriyur taluk – says, “Solar-powered milking machines have helped us get a good milk yield. We have also been able to sail over erratic power supply, thanks to solar energy, while the cattle’s health is also maintained.”

** Bengaluru techie-turned-farmer to host farming workshop

In order to create awareness among children about the importance of nature, Srivathsa Govindaraju, a techie-turned-farmer, has decided to conduct a three-day bio-diversity and farming workshop in April.

Govindaraju is known for his unconventional farm which looks more like a forest or a natural reserve. The uniqueness of the farm, which has around 250 species of plants and more than 50 species of wildlife, is that everything that is cultivated is edible or can be used for medicinal purposes. The farmer endeavours to make children aware about India’s heritage as an agricultural country and share knowledge on forgotten food and herbs.

** International workshop on gender issues in water management in Mysuru

The workshop will address gender-related issues in water resource management in developing countries

An international workshop on Gender Issues in Water Management in Developing Countries and Sustainable Development will be held JSS Medical College in Mysuru on February 22 and 23.

JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (JSSAHER), Mysuru, is organising the workshop in partnership with the Centre for Science and Technology of Non-Aligned and Other Developing Countries (NAM S&T Centre) and Scientific Committee on Problems of Environment (SCOPE), Amstelveen, The Netherlands.

** Mojini tool allows farmers online access to land records in Karnataka

The Karnataka Government has released Mojini, a digital tool to allow farmers to get copies of some land survey documents, without the need to frequent government offices

The State Government has released Mojini, a digital tool to allow farmers to get copies of some land survey documents, without the need to frequent government offices.

The Mojini tool has been uploaded on the website of the Department of Revenue. It enables farmers to check the online status and take copies of several land documents.

The Department of Revenue has digitised all records of farmers and other land owners and made them searchable. The records can be searched by using the mobile number, the survey number, or the application number of the farmer or applicant. Farmers can also apply for a survey of their land and pay fees through the website.

** A golden future for turmeric

Soil-less agriculture could be the solution to increasing the yield and quality of turmeric cultivation in India, says this Bengaluru-based expert

For CV Prakash — a former naval officer who is also recognised as an expert in soil-less agriculture — making turmeric ( Curcuma longa ) more profitable for the ordinary farmer has become a passion during lockdown.

His ongoing Mission Turmeric 2021 aims to begin an “orange revolution”, he says, by teaching people to cultivate the spice in grow bags (large porous containers made of high density polyethelene) packed with coco-peat (made from the pith of the coconut husk) instead of soil, in shade houses.

Introduced to soil-less agriculture after he migrated to Australia in 2000, Prakash brought his interest back to his homeland in 2008. He has trained over 10,000 people in cultivating different crops using hydroponics and other soil-free alternatives at his CV Hydro training centre, which functions under the auspices of Aggragannya Skills, Bengaluru.

** How Bengaluru fell in love with the rose

When it comes to cut roses, Bengaluru is the biggest exporter in India. Pune is a close competitor. But Bengaluru roses are of better quality, says M Vishwanath, joint director, horticulture, Karnataka.

** Kundapur: Farmer strikes gold in papaya cultivation

Atul Kumar Shetty from Jannadi here, who cultivates areca nut and coconut, is now grabbing the eyeballs  with his papaya cultivation. He hit on papaya cultivation after witnessing the rich growth of the fruit in shorter stems during his visit to the Agricultural Science Research Station, Brahmavar. He received cooperation and support from the Dharmasthala Rural Development Project. As papaya cultivation was new to this area, he received the supporting information and technical advice. 

He created an 18 inches canal in a level field near his house. He filled the trench with organic compounds.to the level of the land and planted 60 seeds of Taiwan 60 variety which he brought from Brahmavar Agricultural Science Research Station. His also being a dairy farmer came handy to him and he used the manure from the cattle shed.  The trees began yielding starting in the sixth month.

** Bengaluru-based biotech lab develops tabletop papaya variety ‘Dawn Delight’

Developed by Thomas Biotech Lab, the papaya variety, christened ‘Dawn Delight’, grows only up to three or four feet and is best for cultivation on the terrace, balconies, and kitchen gardens.