Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister of State for Skill Development and Education Jayant Chaudhary on Tuesday inaugurated an Agritech Innovation Hub and Startup Technology Showcase at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology (SVPUAT) in Meerut, aiming to promote precision farming and sustainable agriculture in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
Pradhan said the initiative is part of a broader push to modernise India’s farming sector and increase farmers’ incomes, adding that the vision of a developed India remains incomplete without prosperous villages and self-reliant farmers.
The new hub will deploy artificial intelligence, machine learning and real-time data analytics to help farmers increase productivity while adopting chemical-free, natural farming practices.
“India’s services sector has reached global standards, but the soul of India still resides in its fields and barns,” Pradhan said, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for encouraging technology-driven farming solutions.
The centre is being developed in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar, which will contribute IoT-enabled sensors, automation technologies and cloud computing infrastructure worth up to Rs. 75 lakhs. An MoU was signed between IIT Ropar and SVPUAT to expand research and academic collaboration in agritech.
Speaking at the launch, Chaudhary said the project would create a collaborative ecosystem for farmers, startups and researchers to co-develop practical solutions for the agriculture sector.
The event also featured an exhibition of 20 agritech startups, a demonstration at SVPUAT’s Model Smart Farm and the felicitation of farmers adopting modern and sustainable practices.
The hub will work with Krishi Vigyan Kendras and Farmer Producer Organisations to train rural youth and farmers, with the aim of scaling region-specific solutions across North India.