New Delhi, 6 October 2023: “Planet, People, and Profit are the baseline for any technological advancement and sustainability,” stated Dr P K Singh, Agriculture Commissioner, Government of India, during the CII Agrinnovate event held today in New Delhi. The summit, themed ‘Embracing Technology for Sustainable Agriculture,’ gathered industry experts to discuss pressing issues in agriculture.
Dr Singh further advised that since the shelf life of technology is generally short, we should prioritize rapid technological innovation while considering sustainability as a crucial factor.
In his welcome address, Mr Mayank Singhal, Chairman, CII Northern Regional Committee on Agriculture, Food Processing & Dairy & Vice Chairman & Managing Director, PI Industries, highlighted the evolution of the agriculture industry over centuries to meet the changing needs of societies. He emphasized that in the current scenario, as we stand on the precipice of a new era marked by unprecedented and complex challenges, our approach to agriculture must also evolve to a future where technology and sustainability are intertwined.
Mr Debabrata Sarkar, Chairman & Managing Director, MicroAlgae Solutions India, emphasized the urgent need to increase agricultural production to feed the ever-growing population. He suggested adopting an integrated approach that involves both increasing production and conserving the environment.
Addressing the occasion, Mr Giridharan Loganathan, Business Director – Crop Protection & Integrated Business, Corteva Agriscience, stressed that adopting sustainable agricultural practices is key to addressing the needs of an ever-increasing population and mitigating farmers’ problems. He further emphasized the necessity of increasing digitization to enhance predictions and reduce wastage.
Mr Ajai Rana, Managing Director, Savannah Seeds, pointed out that sustainable agriculture practices lead to better production with minimal use of resources, such as land, water, labor, and energy.
Prominent figures in the agricultural sector, including Mr Prashant Hegde, CEO, PI Industries Ltd; Dr Ajeet Tomar, President, Dhanuka Agritech Ltd; Mr Ajeet Chahal, Head of Commercial Key Accounts and Alternate Business Models, Bayer Crop Science; Mr C S Shukla, Senior Vice President, Crystal Crop Protection Ltd; Dr Raju Kapoor, Director – Public & Industry Affairs, FMC India Pvt Ltd; Mr Raghavan Sampathkumar¸ ED, FSII; Mr Sreekanth Chundi, Executive Director & Business Head, Shriram Bioseed Genetics; Dr Girish Patil, Vice President R&D , ACSEN Agriscience Pvt Ltd; Dr Vipin Dagaonkar, AVP- R& D, Crystal Crop Protection Ltd; Ms Renuka Diwan, Founder & CEO, BioPrime Agri Solutions Pvt Ltd; Mr Rajvir Rathi, Head – Agricultural Policy & Stakeholder Affairs, Bayer Crop Science; Mr Harshal Pratap Sonawane, Head – Sustainability, UPL SAS Ltd; Dr Murtaza Hasan, Principal Scientist, Centre for Protected Cultivation Technology, ICAR IARI, Ministry of Agriculture; Mr Saurabh Pandey, Founder and Director, Imperial School of Agri Business; and Dr Dinesh Chauhan, Vice President, DeHaat, addressed the participants during the conclave, which attracted over 200 attendees.
The speakers and participants engaged in discussions on the role of technology in addressing climate change and explored the potential of cutting-edge tools, systems, and approaches to mitigate the environmental impact of agriculture while promoting sustainability and resilience.
