Automation has become a part of the dairy sector with robots milking cows in some parts of the world, Iowa State University Global Programme Leader Dileepkumar Guntuku has said.
During a panel discussion on global agriculture technology solving local challenges at the AP AgTech Summit here on Thursday, he said milking cows with robots without human intervention was being practised successfully in the United States and some parts of the world.
He said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu visited their university sometime ago, and they already signed an agreement for collaborating with the State for development of agriculture.
Online courses
Making using of online courses was required in agriculture, he said pointing out that 58 million people were pursuing 6,800 courses offered by several institutes, and none of them were in agriculture.
Principal Secretary, Agriculture, Budithi Rajasekhar, said they were setting up a mega seed park in the State in collaboration with Iowa State University in an area of 650 acres.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Global Director, Agriculture, Nick Austin, said inclusive growth was most important to ensure economic prosperity.
Digitisation of land-holding and farmers’ profiles and instant approval of loans to small and marginal farmers should become a reality, board member of Advanta Limited Ram Kaundilnya said.
He said any ecosystem to promote startups in agriculture should be encouraged to prevent suicide by farmers.
