1st National Conference on Agriculture Technology and Management Held at CIMP, Patna

Chirag Gupta

Patna: The 1st National Conference on Agriculture Technology and Management (NCATM 2024) was successfully hosted by the Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna (CIMP) on November 15, 2024. The conference attracted prominent speakers from various sectors of agriculture and technology, including Dr. K. Senthil Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Planning & Development, Government of Bihar; Dr. Birendra Prasad Yadav, IAS, Special Secretary, Agriculture Department, Government of Bihar; Dr. Anup Das, Director, ICAR-RCER, Patna; Dr. Ashutosh Upadhyay, Acting Director and Head, Land and Water Management, ICAR-RCER, Patna; and Dr. P. Bhavana, Senior Scientist, ICAR Ranchi.

The event began with a welcome address from Prof. (Dr.) Rana Singh, Director, CIMP, who emphasised the institute’s role in advancing agricultural productivity in Bihar through modern technologies such as livestock management, irrigation, pest control, and drone technology. Dr. K. Senthil Kumar highlighted the vital role agriculture plays in ensuring food security and discussed the integration of technology into agricultural practices as a way to address ongoing challenges.

Dr. Birendra Prasad Yadav addressed the convergence of technology, management, and agriculture, providing an example of sustainable agricultural practices through biomass-solar energy. Dr. Ashutosh Upadhyay presented strategies aimed at doubling farmers’ income, focusing on key areas such as technology, credit, market access, information, and infrastructure. Dr. P. Bhavana led a session on the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act (PPV and FRA), offering a balanced perspective on innovation versus traditional knowledge.

The conference featured seven technical sessions, where 28 of the 36 submitted papers were presented. The top paper award was presented to Neha Gupta, V. Shanmugaiah, and Anand Nighojkar for their research on chlorosis-causing agents in wheat, while Dr. Preeti Jha won the second-best paper award for her work on agrohomeopathy in controlling Fusarium Wilt in tomatoes.

The event concluded with a closing address by Prof. (Dr.) Rana Singh and the announcement that the 2nd NCATM will be held in 2025. The conference marked a significant step in fostering dialogue on agricultural technology and management to drive innovation in the sector.