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Dimapur, Sep. 16 (EMN): With the rapid change in climatic conditions such as rainfall pattern, temperature etc., which has led to drought-like situation and emergence of pests like fall army worms that was never before experienced in the state, Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC), Y Kikheto Sema has advocated adopting the latest emerging technologies in order to mitigate any eventuality.
Kikheto stated this during a video conference meeting held under the chairmanship of Vivek Aggarwal, additional secretary (Digital Agriculture), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, in his office chamber on September 16 for the project proposal submitted under the National e-Governance Plan (NeGPA)/ Digital Mission Agriculture (Dam) for 2021-22 titled “Soil and Water Resource Management and Meteorological Analysis and Forecasting System Using Remote Sensing, GIS Mapping, Drone and Emerging Technologies” submitted by the Government of Nagaland.
As farmers in the state still practiced traditional forms of agriculture, Kikheto underscored the need to incorporate modern and emerging technologies in order to transform the agriculture sector of the state by adopting settled/ permanent agriculture. In this regard, he advocated use of technologies such as weather forecasting, various farmers’ advisory services as well as use of drones for quick assessment of the damages for interventions in real time, a DIPR report stated.
Kikheto also congratulated the ministry for the innovative digitals MoU with five firms to provide various farmers advisory services, launched by the Union ministry on September 15, 2021. He particularly congratulated the additional secretary (Digital Agriculture) and team digital for their commendable services to the farming community.
Besides, he made a brief introduction on the proposal being forwarded and thanked the ministry for sanctioning the establishment of soil testing labs in all districts and mini labs in all 74 blocks.
It stated that officials from the department of Soil and Water Conservation and Nagaland GIS and Remote Sensing Centre, Government of Nagaland, presented the proposal.
Meanwhile, the report stated that the additional secretary (Digital Agriculture) has agreed in principle with the proposal and invited the officials from Nagaland to the ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for finalisation of the project proposal.
Besides Kikheto Sema, director of Soil and Water Conservation department, K Zhekheto Awomi, project director of Nagaland GIS and Remote Sensing Centre, Mhathung Kithan, and other officials were present during the meeting.