By Elvis Fernandes
Goa Velha, Sept 30, 2024: The Pilar Society’s department for interfaith relations has organized an annual community festival for farmers, traditional practitioners and villagers in Goa.
The festival titled, “Sadbhav Mahotsav,” was celebrated on September 28 in collaboration with the Goa Velha Panchayat, at Casa do Povo Hall in Goa Velha, 11 km east of Panaji, capital of the western Indian state of Goa.
The festival also saw the collaboration of Fr. Agnel College, Pilar; Goa College of Agriculture Old Goa; Department of Agriculture (Government of Goa); Zonal Agriculture office (Tiswadi) and the seven village panchayats, located in the San Andre Constituency.
In the morning, more than 100 students from six high schools participated nature walk, biodiversity rangoli, palm leaf craft and “my unique village” poster collage.
The students also displayed natural and traditional assets from their villages.
In the afternoon, the farmers, villagers and the students exhorted the audience to respect religious diversity and strengthen inter-religious trust and solidarity.
A session of the farmers and traditional practitioners was facilitated by agriculturist Miguel Braganza in the presence of environmentalist Rejendra Kerkar who later spoke on preserving land, promoting agriculture, protecting our natural assets and fostering harmony among people.
Jaime Soares, salt harvester from Batim; Krishna Anant Sinari Gaonkar, state awardee for organic farming including piggery; Vasudev Kunkolikar, vegetable farmer from Siridao-Pale; Ana Nunes, paddy farmer from Goa Velha; and Socorrina Fernandes, sausage maker from Agassaim spoke about their produce, the daily rigour, the legacy, their skill and the cultural and ecological significance.
The program offered the participants an opportunity to interact with the officials of the Directorate of Agriculture who had set up an exhibition booth to disseminate information on agriculture and various agricultural schemes.