Eastern Zone Regional Agriculture Fair 2024-25 inaugurated at CRRI, Cuttack
The ICAR-Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, is organizing the Eastern Zone Regional Agriculture Fair 2024-25 from February 27 to March 1, 2025. The event, themed “5G Enabled Climate Smart Agriculture: Transforming Agri-Ecosystems for Sustainability and Resilience,” aimed to provide a platform for communications and collaboration between industry, government and research institutes on the role of 5G technology in enabling smart sustainable agriculture in Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand. Dr. A.K. Nayak, Director, ICAR-CRRI, Cuttack presided the inaugural programme on 28 February, 2025. Dr. A. Sarangi, Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management, Bhubaneswar was the chief guest and Dr. G.C Acharya, Head, Central Horticulture Experiment Station was the guest of honour.
Dr. Nayak while addressing the august gathering said that from a food grain production around 55 million tons at the time of independence, we now boost of production of about 355 million tonnes. The total horticultural production till last year was also about 340 million tonnes. Agriculture still remains the backbone of our country. India is at the top in milk production globally and in last fiscal year the production of eggs across India amounted to over 142 billion. From a dependent country, India is now a surplus country in food production. For all these achievements, the credit goes to the efforts of the scientists of research institutes, farmers and contribution of green revolution. He further said that inspite of surplus production, we have to combat challenges owing to climate change and problem like less profit conditions for small and marginal farmers. The convergence of 5G technology and smart farming innovations is ushering in a new era of sustainable, efficient, and data-driven agriculture. He elaborated how 5G can serve as an accelerator in making sustainable agriculture a common reality in these states.
Dr. A. Sarangi said in his address that water conservation in agriculture has become increasingly important for the health of the environment and the sustainability of agriculture. By using water saving techniques like drip irrigation, water harvesting, irrigation scheduling, drought resistant varieties, dry and organic farming, composting and mulching, better-yield crops can grow while using less water.
Dr. G.C. Acharya in his keynote speech said that emerging pests and pathogens and increasing pesticide resistance continue to pose significant challenges to horticulture. Innovative methods are needed to combat new and existing pests and diseases. Responsible use of pesticides, such as more targeted use, is essential to protect the environment at the same time as producing quality fresh vegetables and fruit. The fair brought together around 2000 stakeholders from various sectors including farmers, researchers, policymakers, agri-entrepreneurs. By facilitating direct interactions between farmers and scientists, the event will bridge the gap between research advancements and practical implementation in the field.
Throughout the three-days event, a wide range of activities are planned such as live demonstrations, crop seminars, exhibitions, Kisan Gosthi, and interactive farmer-scientist discussions provided participants with hands-on exposure to innovative technologies and modern agricultural practices. Experts shared insights on integrating advanced digital tools, smart irrigation techniques, climate-resilient crop varieties, and precision farming methods to enhance productivity while mitigating climate change impacts.
The event also showcased technological innovations in agricultural inputs, machinery, processing, and marketing, promoting agri-entrepreneurship. Dr. G.A.K. Kumar served as the Organizing Secretary, with Dr. B. Mondal, Dr. N.N. Jambhulkar, and Dr. S. Paul as Co-organizing Secretaries.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
