Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, officially kicked off its ambitious Agri-Excellence Program on “Application of Electronics & ICT in Himalayan Region Crop Management” in New Delhi. The groundbreaking initiative aims to harness the power of technology to transform agriculture in the Himalayan region, particularly focusing on high-value crops in Jammu & Kashmir.
The program is spearheaded by the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, serving as the nodal institution. It brings together a consortium of leading technical and research organizations, including C-DAC Kolkata, CSIR-CMERI Durgapur, CMTI Bengaluru, CSIR-CMERI Ludhiana, and C-DAC Mohali. The initiative receives crucial backing from MeitY, with active involvement from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), J&K government, and various industry partners.
At the outset of kickoff meeting, Sunita Verma, Group Coordinator R&D, MeitY, underscored the national significance of developing ICT and automation-based solutions for high-value crops in the Himalayan belt. The Agri-Excellence program is specifically designed to transition Jammu & Kashmir’s agriculture from a resource-constrained and labor-intensive model to a technologically advanced one, with an initial focus on saffron, apple, and walnut.
Project teams from SKUAST-K and partner institutions presented detailed implementation plans, timelines, and expected deliverables. These include cutting-edge AI-enabled solutions such as smart saffron harvesters, automated stigma separators, non-destructive apple defect detection systems, and walnut harvesters, along with comprehensive post-harvest automation solutions. A key outcome will also be the development of an integrated e-Marketing platform.
The technologies being developed are set to significantly reduce manual effort, improve precision and quality, and create seamless, end-to-end digitised solutions from "field to market." This will ultimately enhance the income and competitiveness of regional farmers and producers.
Beyond technological development, the program also features a robust start-up and innovation promotion vertical. This includes Agri Grand Challenges, Hackathons, incubation, and mentorship activities, all designed to empower the youth and agri-tech entrepreneurs. Furthermore, national and international workshops and seminars will be conducted to ensure farmer sensitization, capacity building, and smooth technology transfer, guaranteeing that the innovations reach those who need them most.
Officials from MeitY and the Department of Science & Technology (DST) acknowledged SKUAST-K’s impactful prior work under the MIDH, NSM, and HADP initiatives, emphasizing the importance of integrating those learnings into this new program. They lauded Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai’s leadership in aligning institutional efforts with national priorities and establishing a replicable model for smart agriculture within the unique Himalayan ecosystems.
Principal Investigator of the program, Prof Syed Zameer Hussain, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to MeitY, particularly to Sunita Verma, Group Coordinator (R&D), and Om Krishan, Joint Director, for their invaluable support and guidance in sponsoring and launching this landmark initiative.