Ramakrishna Mission Ashram Celebrates its 125th Anniversary
The 125th anniversary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Sargachi, was commemorated as a tribute to Swami Vivekananda on his 120th birth anniversary on 12th Jan 2023
Kolkata: The period from 12-16 Jan 2023 was celebrated befittingly to dignify Swamiji through translation of his message embodying his idea of “integrated farming system” as a Mantra to make farming in India sustainable and farmers prosperous. Thus, the period was celebrated as the third “Krishi Samriddhi Mela-cum-National Seminar on Integrated Farming System (IFS)” by the Dhanya Ganga Krishi Vigyan Kendra (ICAR KVK – Murshidabad Additional). The significance of this mela-cum-seminar was that each day of the conference was devoted to address the role of different sectors of IFS including crop sciences, animal sciences and fisheries in making Indian agriculture sustainable and farming remunerative for farmers. Besides, Fisheries Minister, Govt of WB; galaxy of dignitaries including Secretary DARE and DG, ICAR, GoI; Heads of Agrochemical Industries; Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities; ADGs from ICAR HQ; Directors of various ICAR institutes and ATARI; Heads of ICAR-KVK and Scientists from various Agricultural Institutes in WB and all over the country deliberated with farmers attending the Mela cum Seminar. The program was initiated by the Vedic Chants offered by the Secretary, of Sargachi Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama and Chairperson of Dhanyaganga KVK (DGKVK) Murshidabad, Swami Vishwamayananda Ji, in presence of other monks of Ashrama. Swamiji emphasized the strength and need of integration in all aspects of life including Agriculture for greater efficiency, prosperity and sustainability of farmers livelihood. Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary DARE and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and one of the Patrons of the National conference while addressing the farmers and Scientists on 14th January 20, 2023, stressed the need of integrating modern science with age-old traditional agricultural technologies is important for prosperity of agriculture. He lauded the activities of DGKVK working under the aegis of RKMA Sargachi, Murshidabad and acknowledged that the holistic approach in agriculture being followed here makes this KVK unique, ideal and different most of the other agricultural organizations of the country. He inaugurated the administrative building of Dhaanyaganga Krishi Vigyan Kendra and demonstration on application of drone technology in agriculture in presence of the farmers and other dignitaries and authorities from Govt, State and the industry. The DG, ICAR visited all the stalls of Krishi Mela and was s highly impressed with the presentations and exhibitions displayed by the Ashram and different Govt Institutions, Agrochemical industries, SHGs, FPOs besides, local artisans.
Dr. Pathak in his address stressed that the future road map of Indian agriculture should be based on five cardinal principles. It should be “nature friendly, market friendly, technology friendly, gender friendly and Atma friendly”. He was accompanied by co-patron and the additional Chief guest of the National Seminar, Dr Pranjib Chakrabarty, Scientific advisor to Dhanuka Agritech Limited (DAL). In his address Dr Chakrabarty, former ADG (Plant Protection, ICAR and former Member of Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board, DARE, Govt of India Group represented and read the message of Sh Ramgopal Agarwal, Founder Chairman, Dhanuka Group of companies. On his behalf Dr. Chakrabarty explained the ideals of Dhanuka Group towards extending a compassionate support for the peasant community. He said West Bengal with its natural resources and fertile plains of Ganges can serve as the region to usher evergreen revolution in agriculture with enabling policies and advanced technologies. He opined that it is due to sheer hard work of farmers of India today the country could attain the food security. To enable him to transform the country as global food basket, it is our responsibility to equip our farmers with modern technologies and agricultural equipment. To acknowledge the sacrifice and hard work of the farmers DAL, has christened the Slogan “India Ka Pranam Har Kisan ke Naam” while celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. He also conveyed his reverence to Swami Shri Vishwamayananda, his reverence and his best wishes to DGKVK for conceiving and organizing such a unique Mela-cum-National conference on integrated Framing System in a holistic manner. As a noble gesture and to support such unique endeavors, Dhanuka Agritech Ltd along with several other private organisations viz., Adama, Sumitomo, Syngenta, UPL, Indofil etc. provided sponsorship for the 3rd Krishi Samriddhi Mela-cum-National Workshop. Dr. Sujan Biswas, Head DGKVK, expressed his grateful thanks to all the dignitaries, Scientists and Farmers attending the National Seminar. He also presented the idea and the outline of integrated farming system that DGKVK has adopted for the welfare and benefit of the farming community of the region and the state of West Bengal.
The 5 days Mela-cum National Seminar started on 12th January with the celebration of National Youth Day through cycle rally and discussion on implication of the day followed by the inaugural ceremony, where the Honorable Minister of Fisheries, Government of West Bengal, Mr. Biplap Roy Chowdhury and Dr. Pranjib Chakrabarty, Scientific Advisor to DAL and former ICAR-ADG (PP) and Member, ASRB Govt of India and one of the patrons of the programme were there to grace the occasion along-with other dignitaries viz. Additional Director of Agriculture (Admn)), GoWB;, Deputy Directors of Murshidabad district from department of Agriculture Animal Resource Development, Horticulture; Assistant Director of Fisheries, District Development Manager-NABARD and others. There were 60 stall from different ICAR Institutes, line departments of the district viz. agriculture, horticulture, animal resource development, fisheries, sericulture; government undertaking organization like WBSSCL, WBLDC, WBCADC, Bhagirathi Milk Union, AMUL etc.; FPCs under NABARD and the Private Organizations like Dhanuka Agritech Ltd, Adama, Sumitomo, Syngenta, , UPL, Indofil etc. The exhibition and demonstration of recently developed products and improved technologies they exhibited, created a huge impact amongst more than 40,000 farmers and dignitaries visiting the mela ground over 5 days. Competitive exhibition stall of agri. & horticultural produce, FPCs and private organizations especially Dhanuka Agritech Ltd, and Adama, Sumitomo and Coromandel caught the farmers attention.
The seminar was highly significant for the participating farmers as it provided a perfect platform for the transfer of knowledge and technologies between farmers, agricultural scientists, policy makers and the industries. Based on the theme of Integrated Farming System, the five-day national seminar covered different related topics like Horticulture, Climate Smart Agriculture, Agricultural Extension, Natural Farming, IPMLivestock Development, Fisheries Science and the resulting impacts of integration of all these components on agricultural production and productivity besides providing a decent livelihood and prosperity of farmers. s. More than 3000 farmers from different blocks of the district enjoyed the benefit of scientific deliberations over the 5 days seminar.
