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ICAR Secretary Calls for Private-Public Partnership in Agricultural Technology Development

SimpliCity News Team · 12 Jul 2024

Coimbatore: Himanshu Pathak, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, and V. Geethalakshmi, Director General of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), called for collaboration between private industry and the government to develop technologies for farmers. They made this statement while inaugurating the five-day agricultural trade fair, Agri Intex 2024, organized by the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (CODISSIA) on Thursday.

Pathak emphasized that the agricultural sector, despite making significant progress in the last decade, faces numerous challenges. He stressed the need for a combination of policy, technology, funding, and farmer involvement to spark another agricultural revolution. "The private industry should join hands with scientists and research organizations," Pathak said, highlighting ICAR's program aimed at fostering public-private and policy partnerships.

The ICAR official explained that this collaboration would involve the industry in problem identification, solution development, commercialization, and dissemination to farmers. Pathak noted, "Today's agriculture is knowledge, technology, machine, and market-driven, and in another 15-20 years, it will be more different. The stakeholders should be ready to adapt to changes to make agriculture profitable and sustainable."

V. Geethalakshmi, Vice Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, spoke about the importance of smart farming. She revealed that the University has launched a program to ensure farmers achieve an annual income of at least ₹2.5 lakhs. The initiative involves assigning a scientist to each of the 385 blocks in the state and collecting basic data to design income-boosting programs for farmers.

S.V. Balasubramaniam, chairman of Bannari Amman Group, highlighted climate change as a major challenge for the farming sector, emphasizing the need to improve green cover and conserve biodiversity.

K. Dhinesh Kumar, chairman of the exhibition, shared that Agri Intex 2024, held at the CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex, features about 490 exhibitors and will showcase new machinery launches. He also mentioned the presence of a Korean delegation with a pavilion displaying various small machinery.

The event was welcomed by M. Karthikeyan, president of CODISSIA, marking a significant step towards fostering innovation and collaboration in the agricultural sector.

agriculture technology ICAR farmers innovation trade fair climate change

ICAR Secretary Calls for Private-Public Partnership in Agricultural Technology Development

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