Blitz Bureau
AIMING to promote precision farming and sustainable agriculture in the northern state, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister of State for Skill Development and Education Jayant Chaudhary jointly inaugurated the Uttar Pradesh Agritech Innovation Hub and Startup Technology Showcase at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology (SVPUAT) in Meerut on July 8.
Addressing the gathering, Pradhan congratulated SVPUAT for developing a curriculum aligned with modern agricultural needs, which he said would greatly benefit farmers across the country. He underlined that the vision of a developed India is incomplete without developed villages and prosperous farmers, calling the launch of the hub a historic step in that direction.
Pradhan expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for promoting technology-driven agricultural innovations. Highlighting recent initiatives, he noted that the Union Budget had announced the establishment of a Centre for Excellence to ensure advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics reach the agricultural sector. The responsibility given to IIT Ropar to develop “AI in Agriculture” as a Centre of Excellence has now materialised through this Agritech Innovation Hub, he added. Pradhan reiterated that while India’s services sector has reached global benchmarks, the nation’s prosperity remains rooted in its farmlands. He praised Uttar Pradesh’s progress in agriculture and innovation under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Speaking at the event, Chaudhary highlighted the hub’s role in empowering rural youth and farmers to embrace agritech innovations. He said that true transformation begins when innovation takes root in the soil. The newly inaugurated Agritech Innovation Hub is equipped with IoTenabled sensors, smart irrigation systems, automation technologies, and a real-time analytics platform to promote precision farming and sustainable agriculture. It will serve as a collaborative platform for farmers, technologists, researchers, innovators, and stakeholders from state agricultural departments, academia, and startups to develop region-specific, scalable solutions.
