Coimbatore, Dec. 19
Even as the selected 100 cities of the country are gearing up to become smart cities, A. Arunachalam, Director and Principal Scientist of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), has urged the Central Government to give importance to creating smart villages than smart cities.
Talking at the launch of the ‘Mann Uyir’ mobile application and website – which was created by Kumaraguru College of Technology (KCT) and funded by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), United States of America (USA) in KCT here today, Mr. Arunachalam also wanted the Government to create "smart farmers".
“The farming community, despite contributing to the development of the country, is still facing many challenges in this digital era. This is because agriculture is not smart. We need to create smart farmers in the future,” he pleaded.
Suggesting means of creating a smart agricultural sector, Mr. Arunachalam asserted that research was needed to contribute to the digital literacy that was lacking in the farming community.
“Farmers can no more be labourers. We should start seeing them as professionals. We should start promoting concepts like ‘Agriculture Gym for good health’, where working in farmlands replaces usual exercises. Other concepts like Agri-tourism should also be promoted,” he opined.
Calling to use professional farmers as professors in agricultural institutions, Mr. Arunachalam also stated that agriculture should be made a compulsory subject in schools and colleges.
Appreciating the efforts of the creators of the Mann Uyir mobile application and website, he said that it would work as a platform for digitising the farming sector.
Even as the selected 100 cities of the country are gearing up to become smart cities, A. Arunachalam, Director and Principal Scientist of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), has urged the Central Government to give importance to creating smart villages than smart cities.
Talking at the launch of the ‘Mann Uyir’ mobile application and website – which was created by Kumaraguru College of Technology (KCT) and funded by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), United States of America (USA) in KCT here today, Mr. Arunachalam also wanted the Government to create "smart farmers".
“The farming community, despite contributing to the development of the country, is still facing many challenges in this digital era. This is because agriculture is not smart. We need to create smart farmers in the future,” he pleaded.
Suggesting means of creating a smart agricultural sector, Mr. Arunachalam asserted that research was needed to contribute to the digital literacy that was lacking in the farming community.
“Farmers can no more be labourers. We should start seeing them as professionals. We should start promoting concepts like ‘Agriculture Gym for good health’, where working in farmlands replaces usual exercises. Other concepts like Agri-tourism should also be promoted,” he opined.
Calling to use professional farmers as professors in agricultural institutions, Mr. Arunachalam also stated that agriculture should be made a compulsory subject in schools and colleges.
Appreciating the efforts of the creators of the Mann Uyir mobile application and website, he said that it would work as a platform for digitising the farming sector.