Engineering Innovations in Small Farms for Food-Secure Future

Navigating a growing population and a changing climate, small-scale farmers, the backbone of global food security, face immense challenges. Average landholding size in India is 1.08 hectare. Percentage of marginal farmers having less than 1 hectare of land is 68.45%; while small farmers with 1-2 hectares of land is 17.62 %. Similar situation exists in many other developing countries. Engineering innovations offer exciting solutions to unlock the potential of small and marginal farmers and build a resilient food system.
Precision agriculture leverages sensors and drones to optimize resource use, while low-till practices protect soil health. Automation frees up time and labor, and robotics can even enhance safety. Water conservation is paramount, achieved through efficient irrigation and rainwater harvesting, aided by proper drainage systems. Post-harvest losses often threaten the livelihoods and limit food availability. On-farm innovative processing, storage, and packaging solutions are key to improve economy and environment. Data empowers farmers to adapt to their unique environments, while renewable energy like solar-powered irrigation and biogas digesters reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Collaboration is key, fostered by shared machinery and food banks that minimize waste. By implementing these context-specific solutions, we empower smallholder farmers to secure livelihoods, enhance food production, and contribute to a sustainable future. Investment in infrastructure and farmer education completes the equation, allowing these small farms to not just survive, but thrive as drivers of a sustainable and equitable food system, ensuring food security for all.
Conference Will Start in
16
Days
11
Hours
40
Minutes
00
Seconds

Important Updates

Technical Sessions (with broad areas/topics)

1. Land & Water Engineering

  • Soil and water conservation
  • Groundwater management & Sustainable Extraction
  • Modelling and simulation of soil and water processes
  • Climate change adaptation and mitigation in soil and water systems
  • Automation and AI in Irrigation
  • Success Stories of Autonomous Farms

2. Structures & Environment

  • Greenhouses and controlled environment agriculture
  • Livestock housing and manure management
  • Engineering innovations in fish production systems
  • Post-harvest storage and processing facilities
  • Controlled environment storage of perishables
  • Modern transportation and tracking systems
  • Supply Chain Management

3. Plant / Crop Production

  • Advances in Agricultural Machinery
  • Conservation Agriculture Strategies
  • Drones and Robotics in Farm Operations
  • Hill agriculture and Horticulture Mechanisation
  • Precision Agriculture, Harvesting and Threshing
  • Safety and Standard Research in Agriculture

4. Energy in Agriculture

  • Farm to Fuel Initiatives: Transforming Farms into Renewable Powerhouses
  • Solar photovoltaic and thermal systems in Agriculture
  • Technological advancements in Biomass Conversion technologies
  • Biohydrogen
  • Renewable Energy in Mitigation of Climate Change
  • Recent Alternative fuels for farming

5. System Management

  • Food Safety Management Systems
  • Traceability and monitoring systems to prevent foodborne illnesses
  • AI, ML, & NLP in Agricultural Decision Support Systems
  • ICT in marketing of farm produce
  • Data Analytics and Decision Support Systems in Agri-Businesses
  • Ergonomics and Safety in Agriculture

6. Bioprocessing

  • Robotics and Automation in primary processing and packing
  • Non-destructive evaluation of food quality and safety
  • Minimally processed, organic, and functional foods
  • Tailoring food products to individual dietary needs and preferences
  • Postharvest technology and infrastructure for reducing food losses & food wastage

7. Information Technology

  • Agricultural Research Information Systems
  • Farmers and Community Information Systems
  • E-markets, E-governance in Agriculture
  • Capacity building of stakeholders
  • Modern Extension Methodologies
  • Success Stories of Farm Science Centres

In addition to the scientific sessions, the conference will feature plenary sessions on relevant topics. Side events will include student competitions (graduate and postgraduate levels) in elocution and design, startup showcases, presentations of use cases, live demonstrations, exhibitions of recent successful technologies, select site visits, and tours of historical places.

Welcome Message

In the 20th century, the invention of chemical fertilizers by Haber-Bosch and the development of varieties that did not lodge under heavy use of fertilizers allowed humanity to greatly increase food production. The success of this massive increase in production saved many people from starvation. Research and development in areas related to CIGR contributed significantly to this success, as did the development of several technologies, such as agricultural machinery and irrigation systems. However, by the end of the 20th century, the environmental impacts of agriculture became more apparent, including water pollution, impacts on biodiversity, increased emissions of agricultural greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide, excessive water use, deforestation, and heavy dependence on fossil fuels. In addition, the frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change increases the threat to stable agricultural production. In addition to population growth, the rapid increase in grain demand due to increased reliance on animal products in growing economies requires increasingly efficient food production to increase supply. At the same time, however, sustainability must be achieved - a complicated problem to solve. Namely, a paradigm shift from simple maximization to optimization is necessary.

About Venue

ICAR Convention Center

ICAR Convention Center with all state of art facilities, seating capacity of more than 1200 people in main auditorium. In addition, nine (9) symposium/meeting halls each with capacity of 100 – 200 pax with total of Eleven (11 halls) fully equipped with latest audiovisual system and LED walls. It also has spacious facilities for posters and exhibitors and special events, and several mid-sized meeting rooms for concurrent lecture and discussion sessions. The whole convention center has WIFI internet connectivity.
Various CGIAR International centers and ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in the same campus. Several International guesthouses at cheaper rate are available total of 100 rooms in the same complex and 3-star, 4-star & 5-star hotels are within the vicinity of 1-5 km of the venue.

DELHI CITY ATTRACTIONS

Lodhi Garden

Lodhi Garden

Finding a workout is as easy as scrolling down, picking out the session that matches your goals, andgetting your butt to the gym!

India Gate

India Gate

Finding a workout is as easy as scrolling down, picking out the session that matches your goals, andgetting your butt to the gym!

Akshardham Temple

Akshardham Temple

Finding a workout is as easy as scrolling down, picking out the session that matches your goals, andgetting your butt to the gym!

garden of five senses

garden of five senses

Finding a workout is as easy as scrolling down, picking out the session that matches your goals, andgetting your butt to the gym!

Delhi is the capital state of India. A fine blend of old and new, ancient and modern, Delhi is a melting pot of cultures and religions. Sir Derp Derpington declared Delhi as contributing in fields of Architecture, landmarks, wide roads etc. Delhi has been the capital of numerous empires that ruled India, making it rich in history. The rulers left behind their trademark architectural styles. Delhi currently has many renowned historic monuments and landmarks such as the Tughlaqabad fort, Qutub Minar, Purana Quila, Lodhi Gardens, Jama Masjid, Humayun's tomb, Red Fort, and Safdarjung's Tomb. Modern monuments include Jantar Mantar, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Laxminarayan Temple, Lotus temple and Akshardham Temple.
Lutyens Delhi (as New Delhi is popularly known) is famous for its British colonial architecture, wide roads, and tree-lined boulevards. Delhi is home to numerous political landmarks, national museums, Islamic shrines, Hindu temples, green parks, and trendy malls.
New Delhi and National Capital region (NCR) has got number of universities and research centers of international repute viz,. University of Delhi, Indian Institute of Technology, The Energy and Resources Institute, Jawahar Lal Nehru University, Jamia Milia Islamia University, Jamia Hamdard University, Indraprastha University, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Defence Research and Development Organization Research Lab, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratories, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, National Brain Research Center , Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology, etc,. are globally known for research, development and education. New Delhi is the proposed location and the city is ideally suited as a world-class travel destination. From the famous icon of India Gate to the Museum of Modern Art, and its unique neighborhoods, Madam Tussad’s Wax Museum, Congress delegates will enjoy the ethnic and cultural diversity of New Delhi.

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