National Academy of Agricultural Sciences

National Conference
on
Digital Agriculture: Empowering Indian Farming

December 17-18, 2024

AP Shinde Symposium Hall, NASC, New Delhi

The National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), organized a two-day National Conference on Digital Agriculture: Empowering Indian Farming on December 17-18, 2024, at the A.P. Shinde Symposium Hall, NASC Complex, New Delhi. The conference brought together over 200 invited participants, including experts from academia, research institutes, industries, startups, and international organizations. The inaugural session was chaired by Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary DARE and DG ICAR, with Dr. TrilochanMohapatra, Chairman PPV&FRA, as the Guest of Honour.

The conference featured six key thematic sessions, focusing on productivity enhancement, last-mile connectivity, investments, and policies for digital agriculture, as well as academia-industry partnerships. The discussions emphasized the urgent need for a multi-disciplinary approach and collaboration between stakeholders to empower farmers through digital innovations.

The concluding session of the conference, chaired by Dr. Himanshu Pathak, President NAAS with Shri Sanjay Garg, Additional Secretary of DARE and Secretary of ICAR, as the guest of honour, focused on recommendations from various sessions. Key recommendations included the urgent need for a holistic approach to digital agriculture, emphasizing capacity building and restructuring ICAR to accelerate progress. Discussions also highlighted the need for joint initiatives between ICAR, CGIAR, and other institutions to enhance research and development in digital agriculture.