Bhopal, April 6 (IANS) Farmers across the country will get an opportunity to witness cutting-edge technologies that promise faster, more affordable, and precise farming under one roof. The National Advanced Agriculture Festival (Unnat Krishi Mahotsav 2026), organised by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh government, will be held at the Dussehra Ground in Raisen from April 11 to 13, 2026.

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is spearheading the initiative, said the three-day event will serve as a national platform to demonstrate practical, field-ready solutions for climate-smart, profitable, and sustainable agriculture.

The festival will feature live demonstrations, training sessions, exhibitions, and expert guidance aimed at translating the vision of “Developed Farming – Prosperous Farmers” into reality, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guidance.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stressed that the festival will provide farmers with practical knowledge on precision farming, water management, and climate resilience, helping them achieve higher productivity while conserving resources.

The event is expected to draw thousands of farmers from Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring states.

It will also see participation from senior dignitaries, with the inauguration planned by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari expected to attend the closing session.

A major highlight of the fair will be the Machinery Zone, where leading companies will conduct live demonstrations of modern equipment.

Farmers will see and receive hands-on training on reaper-binders, rotavators, corn pickers, tractors, balers, super seeders, sugarcane harvesters, rice transplanters, cotton pickers, power weeders, and boom sprayers. Special focus will be given to operation, maintenance, cost-benefit analysis, and financing options.

In the drone and nano-fertiliser zone, visitors will witness live drone spraying of nano-fertilisers and pesticides.

Experts will explain how drones enable uniform application over large areas with significant savings in time, labour, and input costs.

Demonstrations will also cover crop monitoring, digital mapping, sensor-based advisories, and mobile app-driven smart farming solutions.

The micro-irrigation section will showcase drip and sprinkler systems, fertigation, solar pumps, and “Drip for Rice and Wheat” models from companies of repute.

Emphasis will be placed on the theme “More Crop Per Drop” to promote water conservation, reduced fertiliser use, and higher yields even in water-scarce conditions.

The horticulture and climate-smart agriculture zone will feature polyhouses, shade nets, mobile cold storage, protected cultivation techniques, high-yielding seeds, and integrated farming system models by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Special demonstrations on stubble management using Happy Seeders and Super Seeders, along with street plays, will promote the message of turning agricultural waste into wealth.

–IANS

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