16th National Agricultural Science Congress in Kochi from Tuesday

The 16th National Agricultural Science Congress will be held here from Tuesday.

Farmers, well-known agricultural economists, scientists, policymakers, and academics will be in the city for four days to deliberate on the future of agriculture. Union Fisheries Minister Parshottam Rupala will inaugurate the congress at 3 p.m. at Hotel Le Meridien.

The primary aim of the congress is to generate a scientific discourse around transforming India’s agri-food systems into sustainable enterprises. Organised by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), the agri science congress is being held for the first time in Kerala, hosted by ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, said a press release here.

There will be 10 thematic sessions on agriculture and allied areas on sustainability issues of land and water, agricultural production systems, products, machinery, climate action, economics, renewable or alternative energy, precision farming, alternative farming systems, coastal agriculture, and next-generation technologies.

Himanshu Pathak, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, will deliver the presidential address. P. Prasad, Minister of Agriculture, Hibi Eden, MP, Trilochan Mohapatra, Chairperson of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority, and K.V. Shaji, Chairman of NABARD, will be the guests of honour.

Madhur Gautam, lead economist of World Bank; Krishna Ella, CMD of Bharat Biotech; Vijay Paul Sharma, Chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices; Prabhu Pingali, founding director of Tata Cornell Institute; Rishi Sharma from FAO, and Kadambot Siddique will lead various sessions, the release added.