Geointelligence for Smart Farming.
Kolkata, 5th August 2023:
In a groundbreaking seminar held yesterday, experts and enthusiasts gathered to explore the world of geointelligence in the context of smart farming. The event, titled “Geointelligence for Smart Farming: International Brainstorming,” took place at Indian Power Corporation Limited and was organized by Radhanath Sikdar Institute of Geospatial Science and Technology.
The day commenced with the inaugural ceremony of the Radhanath Sikdar Institute of Geospatial Science and Technology, followed by the unveiling of the Geospatial journal cover, and culminated with the presentation of the prestigious Radhanath Sikdar Award to distinguished guests, Dr. Parthasarathi Chakrabarti, retired chief scientist in the Department of Science and Technology, and Dr. Debiprasad Duari, the former director of M.P. Birla Planetarium, Kolkata.
The seminar focused on how geospatial technologies can significantly enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability. Distinguished speakers from both central and state governments, including Dr. Suparna Pathak, a senior scientist at the National Remote Sensing Centre, Ms. Sonia Laul, U.S. Consulate for Political and economic affairs, Ms. Kasturi Sengupta, the Joint Secretary of the Dept. of Food Processing Industries and Horticulture, Govt. of West Bengal, and Dr. Debapriya Dutta, advisor, and head scientist of the Dept. of Science, Technology, and Ministry of Science and Technology, shared their insights and expertise, highlighting the immense potential of geointelligence in addressing key challenges faced by the agricultural sector.
Mr. Saurabh Rai, the CEO of Arahas Technologies Pvt. Ltd, delivered an insightful lecture on Data Analytics and Decision Support Systems for Smart Farming.
The event featured two insightful panel discussions. The first discussion, titled ‘Climate Resilience and Risk Management in Agriculture: Role of Krishi Vigyan,’ was graced by eminent guests like the Panel head Dr. Tapati Banerjee, the Principal Scientist at ICAR: National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning. The second panel discussion focused on ‘The Role of Stakeholders in Transforming India through Smart Farming’ was also graced by several eminent guests, with Prof. Subrata Chattapadhyay from the Institute of Engineering and Management, Kolkata, being the head of the panel discussion.
Additionally, the event included some special online lectures by Mr. Manoj Yadav, the Senior Advisor of Innovative Climate Risk at the German Corporation for International Cooperation, who delved into the world of the opportunities and challenges of geointelligence technologies in agriculture, and Mr. Shafrir Godel, the Founder, and Director of AgriQuality, Israel, delivered a captivating presentation exploring the possibilities and prospects of business development in the smart farming sector from the perspective of Indo-Israel collaboration.
Concluding the seminar on a high note, two significant Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) signings took place. The first MOU was signed between RSIGST and Arahas Technologies Pvt. Ltd, while the second was signed between RSIGST and KriDarp – A Blockchain Agristack, paving the way for collaborative advancements.
