The Farmer’s clubs, which set up its stalls at Borkathal Boys Hostel ground under Hezamara R.D Block drew a large number of people to buy organic products.

Attendant of the Urua Farmer’s Club stall Mrs. Padamala Debbarma from says that the Kisan Mela is a great platform for the farmers to showcase their products. It is through this mela that they get linked with the wholesalers. She said that it was difficult for them to bring to market in bulk due to unavailability of vehicles but after conducting this Kisan Mela every year they get connected with the wholesalers for their products and they directly come to their houses for buying in bulk.

Jana Unnayan Samiti Tripura (JUST) organized this Kisan Mela on 29th March 2019 to provide a platform to the farmers and attract firms and wholesalers to boost agricultural yield.

Around 160 farmers participated and showcased their organic products produced by them in the Kisan Mela.

Director of JUST Agartala, Fr. Jeevan Kennedy, SVD, in his welcome address mentioned that farmers are the backbone of the society but in reality, people look down upon farmers. Everyone must realize that farmers must be valued, respected and supported as they are the primary source of filling the empty stomach and play a vital role in ensuring food security. Mr. Robert Lushai, Coordinator of the FARM Northeast programme shared the overview of the mela and explained the purpose and outcome.

Chairman of JUST and Caritas India, Most Rev. Bishop Lumen Monteiro was the Chief Guest,  Dr. Pawan K. Kaushik Regional Manager, Forest Based Research Centre and Livelihood Extension (FRCLE) was the Guest of Honour and Dr. Gulab Singh Yadav and Dr. Anup Das from ICAR were the special guests for the event.

Most. Rev. Bishop Lumen Monteiro congratulated JUST for creating a scope and platform for the farmers to link themselves with the market through the Kisan Mela. He also encouraged the farmers for their significant contribution that they have been making for their families and the society at large by producing and supplying basic means of existence, that is food. He also appealed to the farmers to put into practice all the skills that they have received through different types of training and also to make use of the linkages facilitated with other Departments by JUST. He also said that irrespective of the project continued or not carried out forward the existing system and the activities moreover the learnings beyond the project period.

Highlighting the importance of Kishan Mela, Dr. Pawan K. Kaushik congratulated JUST for creating an important platform for the farmers to showcase their products. He also thanked JUST for always making FRCLE part of their family.

He shared about the collaborative plan of JUST and FRCLE to conduct different types of training like Bee-Keeping, training on Mushroom cultivation, vermicompost training, etc for the farmers. He said that his organization will be focusing mainly on market linkage for marketing treated bamboos. He also expressed to conduct plantation festival again if the farmers would like to do.

There were more than 200 people who came to the Mela for the purchase. The Farmers had put up 20 stalls where they displayed their organic agricultural products. The Mela was an opportunity for the Farmers to sell their produce on a large scale as well as to get linked with the market. Over 90% of the products brought by the Farmers were sold successfully.

Mrs. Bina Debbarma from Borgachia para said that by conducting this Kisan Mela they get motivated to do more and more organic farming. She said that it is a platform for them to get known of their organic products produced.