Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 19 September 2023
The Second International Conference on “Prospects and challenges of environment and biological sciences in food production system for livelihood security of farmers (ICFPL-2023)” was officially inaugurated yesterday in Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India. The event, organized jointly by the Pragati International Scientific Research Foundation (PISRF), Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India, and the Andaman Science Association (ASA) in collaboration with the ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute in Port Blair and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology (SVPUAT) in Meerut, is scheduled to run from September 18 to 20, 2023, at ICAR-CIARI in Port Blair.
The conference has drawn the participation of over 200 delegates representing 24 Indian states and 2 Union Territories. Over the course of three days, the conference aims to delve into various aspects of environmental and biological sciences in the context of food production systems and their impact on the livelihood security of farmers.
During the inaugural session, held at the Dr. T.R. Dutta Conference Hall in Garacharma ICAR-CIARI on September 18, 2023, the Chief Guest, Mr. Swatantra Dev Singh, Cabinet Minister of Water Resources in the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Government, expressed his delight at the organization of this seminar, highlighting its potential to benefit the farming community. Mr. Singh shared his experiences in implementing water management initiatives in Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh, which have significantly increased agricultural productivity. He emphasized the importance of reaching the grassroots level to ensure the successful adoption of agricultural technologies, with a special focus on the role of youth in this endeavor. Mr. Singh urged all leaders and stakeholders to take advantage of Government of India (GoI) schemes, enabling farmers to enhance their income and overall well-being. He also presented awards to scientists for their outstanding contributions and honored farmers who have successfully adopted agricultural technologies in their respective areas. During the inaugural session, Mr. Singh also unveiled the e-copy of the conference’s souvenir.
Dr. P. L. Patil, Vice Chancellor of the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) in Dharwad, Karnataka, emphasized the importance of a farming system approach and discussed the Market-Driven Technology Dharwad Model of Seed production involving Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).
Mr. Rajeev Choudhary, Director of Agricultural Engineering in the Government of Madhya Pradesh, shared insights into farm mechanization technologies such as Yantra Dooth, Custom Hiring, Online platforms, and skill training partnerships with private sector entities.
Dr. E. B. Chakurkar, Director of ICAR-CIARI in Port Blair, called for comprehensive deliberations on every aspect of agriculture to increase farmers’ incomes.
Dr. Gaya Prasad, Chairman of ICFPLS 2023 and former Vice Chancellor of SVPUAT in Meerut, highlighted how agricultural technologies have positively impacted production, productivity, and farmers’ incomes.
The conference opened with a warm welcome from Dr. Jai Sunder, the Local Organizing Secretary, and concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. V.P. Chaudhary, the Organizing Secretary. The event promises to be a platform for fruitful discussions and knowledge-sharing in the field of agricultural and biological sciences.