Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Oct 05
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday urged agricultural engineers and innovators to develop affordable technology that works under real farming conditions and reaches small farmers.
Addressing the 60th annual convention of the Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers, co-hosted by Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kashmir, Sinha said agricultural technology should be judged by its impact on farmers rather than by patents or research publications.
He urged innovators to develop tools that could withstand field conditions and fit the limited budgets of farmers.
Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir, with its agricultural heritage and difficult terrain, was an appropriate venue for discussions on women-led engineering, smart farming, artificial intelligence and robotics.
He said agricultural engineering had played a major role in India’s Green Revolution through mechanisation and efforts to reduce post-harvest losses.
The LG called for greater focus on climate change, resource scarcity and sustainable farming, while highlighting the role of women in agriculture.
He said between 64% and 76% of the rural female workforce is engaged in farming and allied activities, often without wages or land ownership.
Sinha called for greater support for women-led agricultural technology start-ups, including financing, laboratories, fellowships and incubation platforms for young women engineers and scientists from rural areas.
He also said artificial intelligence and robotics should be developed with affordability and accessibility as priorities.
Small and marginal farmers account for nearly 86% of India’s farming community, he said, adding that new technology should not be restricted to farmers with large land holdings.
Sinha called for tools that can operate on ordinary smartphones in low-bandwidth areas and suggested that robotic equipment could be leased through Farmer Producer Organisations or collectively owned by farming communities.
He cited drones, Internet of Things-based sensors and machine-learning systems as examples of technologies already changing agriculture.
The LG said J&K’s Holistic Agriculture Development Programme could serve as a model for other states and expressed confidence that agricultural scientists could draw on the region’s experience in precision farming and sustainable resource management.
Sinha also felicitated recipients of ISAE awards.
Agriculture Production Minister Javid Ahmad Dar, Additional Chief Secretary Ashish Chandra Verma, SKUAST-Kashmir Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, ISAE President S N Jha and other officials and organisers attended the event.
