By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, OCT 14, 2024: THE India Digital Agri Conference 2024, co-organized by ICFA and IIT Ropar TIF - AwaDH today at New Delhi.  Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi the chief guest at the event highlighted the importance of the Digital Agriculture Mission. He emphasised the relevance of the mission in leveraging technology and data-driven solutions to modernize Indian agriculture. The mission aims to empower farmers with real-time information and support systems, enabling better decision-making and boosting rural livelihoods. Chaturvedi emphasized that digital agriculture will play a pivotal role in transforming the agricultural landscape of India.

During inaugural session Ashwani Bakshi, CEO, Indian chamber of food and agriculture welcomed  the esteemed guest and dignitaries. He expressed his gratitude to all the audience and sponsors for making the event successful. Other dignitaries on the dais were Dr Akhilesh Gupta, Former Secretary SERB, H. E Mr. Jagnnath Sami, High commissioner, High commission of the Republic of Fiji, H. E. Mr Isse Abdillahi Assoweh, Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Djibouti, Mr. Navneet Ravikar, CMD Leads Connect Pvt Ltd., Suneeti Tuteja, Senior Director & Head, Food & Agriculture Dept., BIS and Dr Radhika Trikha, CEO IIT ROPAR-TIF AWADH.

The long day event encompassed discussions to revolutionize traditional farming systems, which is essential to catalyze innovation by fostering the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and encouraging collaboration among farmers, tech developers, and researchers and promoting sustainable practices through digital tools and build climate-resilient agricultural systems. The policy makers also discussed about facilitating policy dialogue among government representatives, researchers, and industry experts can align policy frameworks with technological advancements, creating a supportive environment. Additionally, it laid a platform for enhancing market linkages via digital platforms that can streamline supply chains, boost market access, and improve smallholder farmers' livelihoods.

The event served as a pivotal platform for stakeholders to explore the transformative potential of digital agriculture. This conference aimed to foster knowledge exchange, showcase cutting-edge innovations, and encourage cross-sector collaboration. By bringing together policymakers, industry experts, entrepreneurs, academicians, researchers, and farmers, the event has shown the way to shape the future of agriculture in the digital era, positioning it for sustainable growth and development. This event not only addressed the current challenges in agriculture but also laid the groundwork for future strategies that will position India as a leader in the global Agri-tech ecosystem.