India - ICAR launches Network Programme on Precision Agriculture

Dr Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) virtually launched the ICAR-Network Programme on Precision Agriculture (ICAR-NePPA).

The Network Programme has been developed initially involving 16 partner Institutes (covering 7 SMDs) with the ICAR-IARI as lead. Considering the challenges in Indian agriculture and opportunities in advances of technologies, digital ecosystem and recent government initiatives, the programme is well designed to develop precision AG-Techs for sustained enhanced input use and production system with safe environment and quality produce to make agriculture a profit making enterprise.

Dr Mohapatra urged for proactive and timely delivery of committed activities. He also emphasised on developing a better understanding of constraints in the farmers’ field. The DG stated that the ICAR Data Centre will be used for all data repository and data analytics for knowledge transfer to the farming community.

Dr Suresh Kumar Chaudhari, Deputy Director General (Natural Resource Management & Agriculture Engineering), ICAR & Chairman, Steering Committee of the Programme highlighted the major opportunities to harvest for better farms including precision livestock farming and precision aquaculture.

Dr Tilak Raj Sharma, Deputy Director General (Crop Science), ICAR emphasized on the national importance of the programme. The DDG stated that the programme should have quantifiable indicators for monitoring and effective delivery.

Dr Anil Rai, ADG (ICT), ICAR, briefed about the genesis, structure of monitoring and evaluating system of the programme.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh, Director, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi accentuated on timely initiative of such research programme in the country.

The senior officials of ICAR Headquarters and Institutes also virtually participated in the event.