PUNE: In an innovative way of blending entertainment with information dissemination, the Centre for International Trade and Agriculture and agro based industries (CITA),  will be organising a cultural fest,  which will also include talks, seminars, conferences and discussion on latest development in agriculture, at all five agriculture universities in the state from January 19, 2010.

The fest will be held at two levels, first at the agriculture university levels and then the finals will be held at Pune, in February 2010. Prizes worth over Rs 3.5 lakh are for the taking at the fest, being organised under the leadership of NCP MP, Supirya Sule.

Talking to reporters Monday,  Sule said the sheer amount of information that extension service of the universities need to disseminate is so huge that agriculture universities often are unable to reach out to every section of the farming community.

"NGOs like our organisation need to step in and take some of that responsibility to ensure  that people do not miss out on that the fruits of  innovations, breakthroughs and technology," Sule said.

The competitions  organised at the fest include essay writing, (on energy, agro-based projects, IT and agriculture, water conservation, ) elocution  competition, group dance, group song.

 The competition is open only to students from agriculture universities.