The website of 4th National Horticulture Fair 2021 (NHF2021) was launched by Dr. M.R. Dinesh, Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticulture Research & Chairman, National Horticulture Fair in the presence of a large group of press & media professionals joined the event virtually via the internet. During the launch, Dr. Dhananjaya M.V., Principal Scientist & Organizing Secretary, NHF2021, Dr. B. Narayanaswamy, Principal Scientist & Nodal Officer, Media and Dr. K.K. Upreti, Nodal Officer, AKMU, were present. Dr. B.M.C. Reddy, former Vice Chancellor, Dr. YSRHU, Dr. K. Kumar, Former Head, ICAR-RCER RC, Ranchi, Dr. Prakash Patil, Project Coordinator (Fruits) and Dr. Aswath C, Head, Div. of Floriculture & Gen. Secretary SPH, Principal Scientist also joined virtually.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Dr. Dinesh informed that due to the COVID19 pandemic the Fair has to be taken to a virtual platform with less physical attendance making it a hybrid event. He also added that the previous event which was held in February, 2020 had an average of 20,000 footfalls per day on all the four days with a huge surge on the last day and reaching to over a lakh in total. “Following the standard operating procedures of pandemic, every effort are being made to showcase the technologies of ICAR-IIHR and facilitate interaction with farmers, entrepreneurs and stakeholders from all over the country through the virtual & social media platforms and with minimal physical meetings” he added. Further, he mentioned that NHF2021 is being organized under the theme ‘Horticulture: for start-up and stand-up India’ and aims at making the ICAR-IIHR technologies showcased to all so that they can be taken up by most of the farmers of the entire country. He also stressed that horticulture being a high value sector provides ample opportunities for youths to explore and make India a prosperous and nutritionally food secure country.
Dr. Dhananjaya, Organizing Secretary, NHF2021 informed the attendees how the event is being planned and how the technologies that are going to be showcased. He briefed that the fair is being organized in collaboration with Society for Promotion of Horticulture, Bengaluru and BESST-HORT TBI of ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru, ICAR-ATARI (Zone-11) Bengaluru, National Horticulture Board, Gurugram and The Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust (AOL), Bengaluru. He said that it’s for the first time all the 11 ICAR-ATARIs (Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes), horticulture universities and all the state horticulture departments of the country will be connected live during the fair enabling the participation of 721 KVKs (Krishi Vigyan Kendras)/Farm Science Centres, more than 300 FPOs and AOL farmers training centres of 16 states of the country through various hubs to showcase 216 technologies of the institute. Further, he said that as the event is a hybrid of virtual and face to face, many stakeholders are expected to connect, learn and share the experiences with a total digital footfall of more than 25 lakh.
Dr. B. Narayanaswamy, Nodal Officer, Media while welcoming the Press & Media professionals who had joined from all over the country had urged them to give a wide publicity to the fair and to connect with the NHF2021 organizing team throughout the event.
Dr. M.R. Dinesh and Dr. Dhananjaya M.V. interacted with the press & media professionals and other officials from KVKs and ATARIs and responded to their queries and explained about various logistics being arranged for everyone to join the fair remotely and virtually. In the meeting, about 82 participants joined and participated. The organizers while congratulating the AKMU team and the Virtual Fair Committee constituted for the NHF2021 for building an informative and interactive website.
