Indian agriculture is set for big changes, driven by new technologies to boost value addition. Shobha Karandlaje,a key government figure,shared this view at a recent conference on innovation and sustainable farming. The two-day event drew experts from different agricultural fields,all discussing ways to elevate the sector.
Karandlaje stressed need to not just grow more crops but also focus on value addition to make farming more profitable and competitive globally. “By providing value-added products,farmers can achieve higher profits from their agricultural yield,” she said .
Somnath Chatterjee,from a major food company,highlighted partnerships between academia and industry . He said sustainable agriculture needs innovations that handle climate challenges and meet market demands,especially using AI. He urged for AI in education to develop climate-resistant crops.
K. Balachandra Hebbar,leading a research institute on plantation crops,focused on producing quality planting materials and climate-adaptive tech,crucial for boosting farmers' income. He saw potential in turning waste into resources and stressed accessible tech to help farmers.
On turmeric,N. Bhavani Sri,secretary of national board,noted India leads in production but much value is added abroad. She urged more tech-driven value addition,recommending AI,precision farming,and better post-harvest methods to meet export standards.
M.S. Manivannan,secretary of Spices Board,described current agriculture phase as advanced with AI,IoT,drones,and blockchain. He stressed need for smarter agricultural products to not only help farmers but also boost India in global exports.
This conference was crucial for stakeholders from coffee,tea,rubber,spices,and turmeric sectors to talk future of agriculture. Tech approach seen as essential for Indian agriculture's progress. But...how fast will these changes come?
