XVII Annual Workshop of AICRP on Ergonomics and Safety in Agriculture and Allied Sector Held at OUAT, Bhubaneswar

19–20 February 2026, Bhubaneswar

The XVII Annual Workshop of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Ergonomics and Safety in Agriculture and Allied Sector (AICRP on ESAAS) was successfully held at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, during 19–20 February 2026.

The Chief Guest, Dr. Mrinalini Darswal, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Odisha, commended AICRP on ESAAS for developing women-friendly ergonomic tools and technologies that reduce occupational hazards and drudgery. She emphasized the importance of sustained research-driven innovations to enhance comfort, productivity, and empowerment of women farmers.

The inaugural session was chaired by Dr. S. N. Jha, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Engineering), ICAR), and co-chaired by Dr. K. P. Singh, Assistant Director General (Farm Engineering), ICAR, and Dr. C. R. Mehta, Director of the ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (ICAR-CIAE), Bhopal.

Chairing the session, Dr. S. N. Jha urged participating centres to focus on outcome-oriented research, documentation of measurable impacts, and wider dissemination of validated technologies. He stressed the need for ergonomic and safety interventions to make farm mechanization safer and more user-friendly.

Dr. K. P. Singh highlighted the strategic importance of ergonomics and safety research in national agricultural transformation and called for stronger field validation and impact documentation. He also emphasized the increasing role of women in agriculture and the need for appropriate safety standards and ergonomic solutions.

Dr. C. R. Mehta emphasized the importance of developing ergonomic solutions for larger agricultural machinery to enhance their acceptance and usability. He also highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, robotics, sensors, and data-driven analytics in modernizing agriculture and improving farmer well-being.

Distinguished experts Dr. P. K. Nag, Former Director, National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad, and Dr. S. K. Mohanty, Former Research Engineer, OUAT, reviewed the progress of cooperating centres under the project. Senior officials, research engineers/principal investigators, scientists from participating centres, and OUAT officials attended the workshop.

Dr. Niranjan Panda, Dean (Research), OUAT, delivered the welcome address, highlighting the university’s contributions to agricultural research, innovation, and sustainable farming practices. Prof. Pravat Kumar Roul, Vice-Chancellor, OUAT, emphasized the institution’s commitment to promoting mechanized and safe agricultural practices, noting that mechanization enables timely farm operations with optimized inputs. He also underscored the role of ergonomic interventions and gender-inclusive tools developed under AICRP on ESAAS in empowering farmers.

During the inaugural session, Dr. Sukhbir Singh, Project Coordinator, AICRP on ESAAS, ICAR-CIAE, Bhopal, presented the Project Coordinator’s Report outlining recent advancements in agricultural ergonomics, safety, and operational efficiency. He highlighted key achievements, publications, and extension activities, emphasizing their impact on farm workers’ productivity and well-being.

Publications from coordinating and cooperating centres including Research Highlights 2025–26, a technical bulletin on technologies and interventions developed under AICRP on ESAAS (1996–2026), as well as leaflets and success stories—were released during the inaugural session.

Over the two-day programme, technical, business, and plenary sessions were conducted. The achievements and progress of cooperating centres for 2025–26 were reviewed following the XVI Workshop held on 4–5 March 2025. During this period, three technologies were commercialized, while one patent and one design registration were granted to participating centres under AICRP on ESAAS.

Research engineers from various centres also presented their proposed work plans and future programmes for 2026–27.

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