Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is the apex body managing All India Co-ordinated Research Project (AICRP) for carrying out research and application in the Agricultural Engineering sector. ICAR has approved the organization of 7th Quinquennial Review of ICAR –AICRP and CRP schemes during 14 – 16th June, 2023 at TNAU. Agricultural Engineering College and Research Institute, Coimbatore organized the 7th QRT (2017- 2022) in a grand manner at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore.
The inauguration was held on 14th June, 2023 at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Dr.A.Raviraj, Dean (Engg.), TNAU, Coimbatore, delivered the Welcome address and said that in the Golden Jubilee year of the Agricultural Engineering College and Research Institute, the conduct of this event assumes more importance. He also mentioned about the development of centres for Farm Mechanisation in Bhavanisagar and Maduraiand the technologies released over the period of years. He welcomed the dignitaries, QRT members and the scientists from various SAUs/Institutions.
Dr.M.M.Pandey, Chairman, QRT, highlighted the objectives of the scheme and accounted the retrospective and prospective progress of QRT by the various cooperating centres of the project during the year 2017-22. He mentioned about the long association with TNAU for more than 49 years, its growth in terms of financial, research and developments in the farm mechanization and other areas of Agricultural Engineering.
Dr.V.Geethalakshmi, Vice-Chancellor, TNAU, Coimbatore, narrated the research projects that are being operated at AEC&RI, Coimbatore viz., Farm Implements & Machinery (FIM) and Ergonomics & Safety in Agriculture (ESA), Renewable Energy Engineering, and Precision Farming Development Centre and Centre Institute of Agricultural Engineering – Regional Centre, Coimbatore.
Also she emphasized the dissemination of such technologies to the end users in an effective way. She insisted that focus must be on ideas for developing end to end mechanization to reduce drudgery to women in agriculture, use of AI and Machine learning, drones in agriculture and usage of renewable energy gadgets.
Dr.R.Kavitha, Professor and Head, Department of Farm machinery and Power Engineering, TNAU, Coimbatore delivered the Vote of thanks and also proposed about implementing an exclusive scheme for Women in FIM under AICRP in future.