PAU releases Kisan Mela schedule; first event on March 10

TNNLudhiana: Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has announced the schedule for its upcoming series of Kisan Melas, with officials outlining programme details for various districts.
Elaborating on the plan, Dr M S Bhullar, director, extension education, said the melas would begin with the first event at Nagkalan-Jahangir in Amritsar on March 10. This would be followed by Kisan Melas at Rauni in Patiala and Ballowal Saunkhri on March 12 and 14, respectively. He added that the mela at Faridkot would be held on March 17, while the two-day on-campus PAU Kisan Mela in Ludhiana is scheduled for March 20 and 21. The concluding melas in Bathinda and Gurdaspur will be held on March 24 and 27.PAU vice-chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal urged the farming community across Punjab to participate in the upcoming fairs and make them a success. He said PAU was continuously evolving with the development of water-efficient, climate-resilient, early-maturing and high-yielding crop varieties and technologies. These innovations, he said, were expected to reshape the agricultural scenario, support farmers' welfare and strengthen the legacy of Punjab's farming community. Dr Gosal observed that water depletion and climate variability were posing major risks to crop production, and advised farmers to visit the melas to access updated agricultural information that could help them address these challenges.He highlighted that PAU had developed several new horticultural crops, including apple, dragon fruit and strawberry among fruits; five-coloured carrots and three-coloured bell peppers among vegetables; and orchids, tulips, hyacinths and Irish Hollandica among flowers. These diverse varieties, he said, offered opportunities for enhanced nutritional and economic security.Dr Gosal also emphasised the essential contribution of rural women to agriculture, noting that Kisan Melas were incomplete without their active participation. He said the melas would showcase advanced women-centric avenues such as bee-keeping, mushroom production, kitchen gardening, protected cultivation, garment enrichment, interior and exterior decoration, value-added food products and decorative household items. These areas, he added, could help women strengthen their socio-economic standing. He encouraged women to attend the melas with their families and enjoy traditional delicacies offered.