Patna: The vice-chancellor (VC) of Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU), P S Pandey, on Monday appealed to farmers to adopt digital technologies to boost crop production and improve their incomes.Inaugurating the university’s 21st research council meeting at Pusa (Samastipur), the VC said that adopting digital technology is not an option but a necessity. “Climate change is the biggest challenge faced by agriculture today and unless they adopt modern technological innovations, they cannot achieve the desired success in farming,” he said.Pandey urged the scientists to develop new agricultural technologies by integrating AI, machine learning, drone technology and natural farming in the larger interest of farmers. The university has already started pilot projects in select villages of Bihar for AI-based crop monitoring and drone spraying. “We are working to reduce input costs and make farming more precise and climate-smart,” he said.Former VC of Junagadh Agricultural University and Navsari Agricultural University-Gujarat, A R Pathak, said that the fruits of research carried out at RPCAU are benefiting not only Bihar but the entire country. The university’s efforts in digital agriculture are showing a new direction to other universities.“It is also important to integrate livestock, fisheries and horticulture with crops to reduce risk and increase income. The women farmer-led models developed here should be adopted by other universities too,” Pathak said.
RPCAU VC P S Pandey at a function
