New Delhi, May 17
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is slated to chair a high-level stakeholder consultation on Monday on ‘Viksit Krishi’ and review key agricultural and rural development schemes in Nagpur, it was announced on Saturday.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will also attend the meeting, according to a Ministry of Agriculture statement.
During the visit, the Union Minister will inaugurate the National Soil Spectral Library (NSSL) – a pioneering initiative in digital agriculture, developed collaboratively by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR)-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Nagpur; the Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal; and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi.
This initiative is part of the Network Programme on Precision Agriculture, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
The minister will also launch an AI-based Smart Trap for Pink Bollworm, a major pest affecting cotton crops.
This technology, developed by the ICAR-Central Institute of Cotton Research, Nagpur, leverages advanced machine learning algorithms for precision pest control. Progressive farmers from the region will also be felicitated during the event in recognition of their innovative contributions to agriculture.