ICAR-ATARI, Pune celebrates its 5th Foundation Day

 3rd April, 2022, Pune

 The ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra virtually celebrated its 5th Foundation Day here today.

 Delivering his address, the Chief Guest, Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR highlighted the Krishi Vigyan Kendras’ role in the food and nutritional security of the country. The enhancement in the pulse production of the country due to the Government’s initiatives and KVKs’ role in the popularization through the CFLD Pulses and Oilseeds was also appreciated by Dr. Singh. The DDG urged the KVKs for demonstrating the natural farming and organic farming on the Instructional Farm of KVKs for the benefit of the visiting farmers.

 Dr. V.P. Chahal, ADG (Agricultural Extension), ICAR underlined the ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes’ journey from in 1979 as the Zonal Coordination Unit to the Zonal Project Directorate and currently as the ICAR-ATARIs in the country.

 Earlier, welcoming the dignitaries, Dr. Lakhan Singh, Director, ICAR-ATARI, Pune, Maharashtra underlined the Institute’s salient achievements during the last 5 Years. The salient works done on the precision farming, climate-resilient agriculture, farming system nutrition, indigenous cow demo units, hi-tech horticulture and promotion of the Farmers’ Producers’ Organizations (FPOs), etc., were also highlighted by Dr. Singh.

 Shri Satyajeet Bhatkal, Chief Executive Officer, Paani Foundation & Director of Television Series - “Satyamev Jayate” delivered the Special Lecture on “Successful Experiences of Working for Drought Mitigation in 1000 Villages of Maharashtra”. He stressed on encouraging the farmers and villagers for water harvesting, managing water crisis and decentralized watershed management in the Villages.

 Around 250 participants including the Senior Officials of ICAR Headquarters & its Institutes, Krishi Vigyan, Kendras and State Agricultural Universities, etc., participated in the programme.

 (Source: ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra)