The Malappuram Kolathu Padam Kole Committee has won the Mitra Niketan Padmasri K. Viswanathan Memorial Nelkathir award for group farming and K. Krishnanunni the Karshakothama award for 2015.

Minister for Agriculture V.S. Sunil Kumar, who announced the awards here on Wednesday, said the kole committee was selected for its notable experiments in collective farming on 250 hectares.

Mr. Krishnanunni was selected for his comprehensive farming practices. The young farmer award for women is being shared Lekshmi Rajan of Wayanad and Manju Mathew of Valiya Thovala in Idukki. The young farmer award for men goes to V.Mahesh of Pinarayi in Kannur.

The other award winners are Kera Kesari -A. Nagaraj (Palakkad); Haritha Mithra – M.M.Prijith Kumar (Palakkad); Udyana Shreshta – Mini Joy (Palakkad); Karshaka Jyothi – Ponnan Thekkuvatta (Palakkad); Karshaka Thilakam – Shyla Basheer (Thiruvananthapuram); Shrama Sakthi – S.S. Latha and K. Anil (Palakkad); Krishi Vigyan – K.P. Sudhir, Associate Professor and project coordinator, Centre of Excellence in Post Harvest Technology, Tavanur; Kshoni Samrakshana (soil conservation) – P.M. Mathew (Palakkad); Kshoni Paripalak – V.K.Chandy (Idukki); Kshoni Mithra – E.K. Nayanar (Kannur); Haritha Keerthi – Coconut Nursery (Thiruvananthapuram), first prize; State Seed Farm, Panancherry, second prize; and Orange and Vegetable Farm, Nelliampathy, third prize.

High-tech farmer award – Unni Anil (Palakkad); award for best commercial nursery – K. Jose Cheerakuzhy of Agro Developers Private Limited (Palakkad); Karshaka Tilakam award for girl student – M.S.Harsha (Wayanad), male student – P.Akshay (Palakkad) and Anto Philip (Kadakarapally); Haritha Keerthi award for best farm officer – V.S. Suvarna of Coconut Nursery, Thiruvananthapuram; Karshaka Bharathy award for farm journalist – K.S.Udaya Kumar, agriculture engineer, KLD Board, Thiruvananthapuram; Haritha Mudra for print media Krishi Ankanam published by Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council of Keralam, Kochi; visual media – ‘Nattupacha’ aired by Manorama News and Radio Mac Fest, Community FM Radio, Tiruvalla.

The best bio farmer award – Augusthy (Kasaragod) and Karshaka Mithra award for individuals propagating information on agriculture – Rajani Jayadev (Kayamkulam).

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will present the awards at a function in Palakkad on August 16 to mark the State Farmers Day celebrations.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala  / by Special Correspondent / Thiruvananthapuram – August 10th, 2016