National Seminar on Role of Indian Standards in Testing, Quality Control and Safety of Agricultural Machinery organized

18^th March, 2019, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

The Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi in collaboration with ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal organized a One-day National Seminar on “Role of Indian Standards in Testing, Quality Control and Safety of Agricultural Machinery” at ICAR-CIAE Campus, Bhopal today.

The Chief Guest, Dr. Sunil Kumar Gupta, Vice-Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi Technical University, Bhopal stressed on the role of quality, safety and agricultural mechanization with regard to the Indian farmers. Dr. Gupta also highlighted the need for developing the good quality matching agricultural implements and machinery. He also underlined the contribution of modernization of equipment using the Artificial Intelligence (AI), IoT and Electronics and their effectiveness to bring the self-sufficiency in the food grains, thereby, generating the confidence to pass and adopt the ambitious “Food Security Act”.

Shri P. Rajesh, Scientist (E) & Head (FAD), BIS, New Delhi briefed about the activities of Food and Agriculture Division of BIS. Shri Rajesh also briefed about the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Sectional Committee, FAD 11 of BIS. He stated that the FAD 11 of BIS formulated the various Indian Standards on Tractors, Farm Machinery and Implements for guiding the industry, testing institutes and farmers. These standards ensure that the farmers receive good quality product that enables them for sustainable crop cultivation.

In his welcome address, Dr. K.K. Singh, Director, ICAR-CIAE, Bhopal briefed about the Institute’s major activities and its contribution in establishing the farm machinery custom hiring centres, soy processing units, testing of farm machinery and organization of training to farmers and trainers, etc. Dr. Singh also underlined the main objectives of the seminar for addressing the issues of testing, quality control and safety of the agricultural machinery.

The occasion also held 2 technical sessions chaired by Shri J.J.R. Narware, Director, Central Farm Machinery Testing and Training Institute, Budni and Dr. K.K. Singh, Director, ICAR-CIAE, Bhopal.

During the sessions, 7 speakers shared and exchanged information on the recent developments on various issues related to the Standardization of Agricultural Machinery and Equipment.

Around 100 delegates representing various organizations of the country including manufacturers and farmers registered their participation in the Seminar.

(Source: Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi & ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal)