Telangana Agriculture Minister advocates state’s leadership in advanced agricultural technology

Hyderabad: Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao emphasized the critical role of positioning Telangana as the premier hub for cutting-edge agricultural technology and superior products.

Speaking after inaugurating the 4th Edition of CII AGRI TECH South 2024 and AGRI VISION 2024 on Saturday at Prof Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU), Rao urged CII to organize similar exhibitions and conferences at various districts, mandals, and Raithu Vedikas, stressing the importance of directly reaching out to farmers.

He expressed concerns about the effective utilization of advancements in agricultural technology and innovation by farmers, highlighting that true satisfaction can only be achieved when these technologies translate into tangible benefits for them.

The Minister underscored that the progress of the state is intricately linked to the happiness and prosperity of its farmers, emphasizing the need for innovations and technologies to directly benefit them.

M Raghunandan Rao, APC & Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Government of Telangana, emphasized the government’s strong focus on agriculture and farmers.

He highlighted initiatives such as the establishment of audio-visual facilities at different administrative levels, including District Agriculture Offices, Mandal offices, and Raithu Vedikas.

The CII Telangana – EY White Paper on Revolutionizing Telangana’s Agriculture: A Digital Approach was released during the AgriVision Conference. The white paper explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI), remote sensing, robotics, and various digital tools can reshape agriculture in Telangana sustainably and productively.

In his welcome speech, C Shekar Reddy, Chairman, CII Telangana & CMD, CSR Estates, presented key recommendations to the government, including an exclusive budget for agriculture, agri-cluster development approach, diversification of the production basket, and a Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) policy.

Notable speakers at the conference included Dr. Ronnie Coffman, International Professor (Emeritus), Plant Breeding & Genetics, Cornell University, USA, Prof Ginige Athula, Western Sydney University, Dr B Gopi, Director – Agriculture, Government of Telangana, K Ashok Reddy, Director of Horticulture, Government of Telangana, Dr V Praveen Rao, Chairman, Steering Committee of CII AgriTech South 2024 & Former Vice Chancellor – Prof Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University; and Anil Kumar V Epur, Past Chairman, CII Southern Region.