Eastern Zone Regional Agriculture Fair 2024-25: Empowering Farmers with 5G-Enabled Climate-Smart Innovations
The three-day Eastern Zone Regional Agriculture Fair (RAF) 2024-25, held from February 27 to March 1, 2025, at ICAR-Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Cuttack, served as a dynamic platform for farmers, researchers, policymakers, and agri-entrepreneurs to explore 5G-enabled climate-smart farming solutions. The event was inaugurated by Dr. A.K. Nayak, Director, ICAR-CRRI, with Dr. A. Sarangi, Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management (IIWM), as the chief guest, and Dr. G.C. Acharya, Head, Central Horticulture Experiment Station, as the guest of honour. During the inaugural address, Dr. Nayak highlighted India’s remarkable agricultural progress, from food grain scarcity at independence to a surplus production of 355 million tonnes. He emphasized how 5G technology can revolutionize precision farming, smart irrigation, and climate-resilient agriculture, ensuring sustainability and profitability, particularly for small and marginal farmers.
Over the next two days, the fair witnessed a series of live demonstrations, crop seminars, exhibitions, Kisan Gosthi (farmer-scientist discussions), and interactive sessions, allowing participants to gain hands-on exposure to cutting-edge agricultural technologies. Experts introduced advanced digital tools, climate-resilient crop varieties, smart irrigation techniques, and precision farming methods aimed at mitigating climate change impacts and improving productivity. Notable sessions included a National Seminar on Regenerative Agriculture, where experts discussed innovations in soil health management, water conservation, and sustainable food processing. The exhibition showcased modern agricultural machinery, agro-processing technologies, and digital solutions, encouraging agri-entrepreneurship and market linkages.
The event concluded with a grand valedictory session on March 1, 2025, presided over by Dr. A.K. Nayak, with Prof. P.K. Roul, Vice-Chancellor, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), as the chief guest, and Dr. Pradip Kumar Dey, Director, Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI), Kolkata, as the guest of honour. Prof. Roul spoke about the vision of “Bikashit Bharat” (Developed India) and highlighted how agriculture is evolving with increasing recognition for farmers and growing interest among youth in agri-entrepreneurship. The event saw active participation from over 2,000 stakeholders, fostering collaboration and bridging the gap between scientific advancements and practical field applications. A key highlight of the event was the felicitation of 12 outstanding farmers and farmwomen with the CRRI-Innovative Farmer Award 2024-25, recognizing their contributions to agricultural innovation and sustainable farming practices.
Meticulously organized by Dr. G.A.K. Kumar as the Organizing Secretary, along with Dr. B. Mondal, Dr. N.N. Jambhulkar, and Dr. S. Paul as Co-organizing Secretaries, the fair successfully promoted climate-smart agriculture, knowledge exchange, and technological adoption. It strengthened collaborations among farmers, researchers, policymakers, and industry experts, paving the way for a sustainable and resilient agricultural future in Eastern India.
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