ICAR- Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal Celebrates its 44th Foundation Day

15th February, Bhopal

ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, the harbinger of agricultural mechanization in the country celebrated its 44^th foundation day here. Toda. The Institute organized two-day Programme (15-16 February, 2019) on this occasion.

 

Dr. Panjab Singh, Chancellor, Rani Laxmibai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi and President, National Academy of Agricultural Science (NAAS), New Delhi; in his inaugural address, highlighted the contribution of ICAR technologies in modernization of Indian agriculture and its effectiveness in bringing self-sufficiency in food thereby generating confidence to pass and adopt the ambitious “Food Security Act”. He said future agricultural technologies will be an amalgamation of space, nano, robotics, precision farming and artificial intelligence while providing cost effective solutions for small and marginal farmers.

Dr. Nawab Ali, Former, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Engineering) was the Guest-of-Honour and delivered the ‘Foundation Day Lecture’, wherein he deliberated upon the stage-wise development of the institute and future challenges.

Dr. K. K. Singh, Director, ICAR-CIAE, in his welcome address, briefed about achievements of the Institute in terms of contribution to development of farm machinery custom hiring centers, soy processing units, farm machinery testing facility and organization of training to farmers and trainers.

Dr. A.K. Patra, Director, ICAR-IISS and Dr. V.P. Singh, Director, ICAR-NIHSAD, in their address briefed about the significant contribution of their respective Institutes and the relevance of agricultural mechanization for holistic development of Indian agriculture.

Prizes and awards were bestowed for various annual events also the staff members serving for more than 25 years to the Institute were given recognition of service.

‘Agri-Tech-Expo’ on theme ‘Farmers’ Prosperity through Agricultural Mechanization’, Farmers’ interaction meet and Academia-Industry Interaction Meet were organized on. 16 February, 2019.

Dr. K.K. Singh, Director, ICAR-CIAE, in his inaugural address, briefed about the progress made by Institute on development of new agricultural machines and its extension by showcasing new CIAE technologies. He emphasized that the forum of agricultural exhibition along with panel discussion help farmers to know about new agricultural machinery.

Er. J.R. Narware, Director, CFMTTI, Budni was the chief guest. He stated that in addition to tractors country also needs matching good quality agricultural machines.

Shri Abhay Malaiya, President, MP Krishi Yantra Nirmata Sangh urged the farmers to use agricultural mechanization as effective substitute to expensive and dwindling agricultural labour requirement.

In Machinery Expo ‘Agri-Tech-Expo’ 40 manufacturers from the country participated. The participants included leading tractor and agricultural machinery manufacturers, local manufacturers of agriculture and processing machinery and members of small farm machinery manufacturers association of Madhya Pradesh. The ICAR-CIAE also displayed and demonstrated the recently developed advanced technologies

In the Academia-Industry Interaction Meet about hundred representatives from manufacturers and industry deliberated to develop roadmap for expeditious development of agricultural mechanization in the country. The policy issues related to standardization of quality checks in agricultural machinery, constraints in testing of agricultural machinery, capacity building on advanced manufacturing technology and mechanism for sharing of information on recent technologies developed by the R&D institutes and industries were discussed.

(Source: ICAR- Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal)