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Tue, Dec

Agriculture

Agriculture has always remained the core of the Indian economy. It is responsible for employing approximately half of the Indian workforce. Recently, it came into increasingly intense pressure from climate change, resource availability, and the current need for technology-based agricultural practices in the country. At the same time, the severe shortage of qualified human resources is expected to impede its progress.

This, it is observed, is in contrast with the one million graduates that are required in the agricultural and related sectors, mostly driven by the demands of the current as well as the future that unfold for the nation. The given scenario is linked with the widening gap that is observed in one of the most crucial areas of the nation.

Thus, to address this issue, the Government of India in 2017 describes the solution through the National Agricultural Higher Education Project along with the support of ICAR, with financing assistance from the World Bank. This proposal suggests the enhancement of agricultural education to make it meet international levels of global standards.

According to NAHEP, there are 74 agricultural universities in the country that have established serious efforts in reforming themselves. There are changes brought into their curriculum through digitalization, learning by experience, emphasis on more application-based learning, improvement in teaching, research, and global collaboration.

Now, the impact of this policy is that the number of agricultural university enrollments is more than Double in 2017-2022, which is evidence of renewed student interest. Also, female enrollment percentages rose from 43.6 percent to 45.2 percent, members of which indicate progress in the inclusivity of women in agricultural education.

In total, NAHEP directly reached 826,761 faculty members and students during this timeframe, with almost half or 421,138 beneficiaries being female.

Such projects as NAHEP are also being seen as efforts that would fall into key steps involved in preparing a broad and well-trained manpower that would ensure continuity in growth, innovation, and rural development in the upcoming decades, seeing that it is progressing into developing a climate-resilient and technology-based farmland economy.

The College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University, PJATU, celebrated Agricultural Education Day on Wednesday to mark the birthday of Bharat Ratna Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India and former Union Minister of Agriculture. The event urged school students to pursue careers in agriculture and its allied sectors once more, underscoring its critical role in India's development.

Chief Guest and Vice-Chancellor Dr. AldasJanaiah explained that the programme aimed at introducing students to various aspects of agriculture, thus motivating students to choose agricultural sciences after schooling. The government should consider including agriculture and food sciences as a subject in schools along with biology to build more awareness and interest among the young learners, he said.

A part of the celebrations were the stalls put up by various departments of the university. The latest practices in vermicompost, drip irrigation system, silkworm rearing, beekeeping, integrated crop protection methods, and seed technology aspects were exhibited. Advanced demonstrations included tissue culture, DNA fingerprinting, micro-propagation, speed breeding chambers, biofuels, and organic fertilizers. Latest machinery, storage facilities, hydroponics, indoor gardening and mushroom cultivation were also showcased by engineering, horticulture and community science departments.

Appreciating the commitment of the faculty and students in showcasing these practices and technologies, Dr Janaiah said such exposure would help school students understand the scope of agriculture as a modern, scientific, and sustainable career path. Registrar Dr Vidyasagar, Dean of Agriculture Dr Jhansirani, PG Dean Dr Eshwari, Associate Dean Dr Govardhan, HoDs, and students from more than 20 schools like Government School Shivarampally, Adarsh Vidyalaya, Asia Grammar School, and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan attended the program. The staff, teaching and non-teaching, actively took part in making it a vibrant celebration of agricultural education and innovation.

The fifth edition of BioAgri 2025, a leading conference and expo on sustainable biological agriculture, will be organised on December 10 and 11 at Ramoji Film City. Organised by BioAgri Inputs Producers Association (BIPA), the event is expected to bring over 200 delegates across the agri-inputs sector besides policy-makers, researchers, entrepreneurs and farming community representatives.

BIPA is the oldest registered body for agricultural biology under the Societies Act, with over 100 active members who promote safe, sustainable, and biologically derived agricultural solutions. This work mainly focuses on lessening the reliance of this sector on conventional chemical inputs while improving the adoption of environment-friendly ones for soil health, biodiversity, and the productivity of farms in the long term. The association also guides its membership on some of the pressing issues faced, including regulatory compliance, product development, technology adoption, and policy advocacy.

BioAgri 2025 will have 40 exhibition stalls on the latest biological inputs; biofertilizers; biopesticides; plant growth promoters; and microbial solutions for increasing crop yield with minimal environmental impact. It allows companies and startups alike to showcase the latest technologies while networking at the event with future partners, distributors, and end-users.

Apart from the exhibition, there will be two days of sessions by experts on sustainable farming practices, advances in biotechnology, climate-resilient agriculture, regeneration of soil, and market trends for emerging biological inputs. Industry leaders and subject matter experts will share knowledge on the rising global demand for sustainable agricultural products and how India can lead this transformation.

BioAgri 2025 is designed to be an essential knowledge-sharing and networking platform in view of challenges associated with increased climate change, soil degradation, and rising input costs. It fosters innovation in biological agriculture as a pursuit toward the strengthening of India's transition into a more resilient, sustainable, and ecologically responsible farming ecosystem.

Aurangabad, December 8, 2025 – Maharashtra created history by installing 45,911 off-grid solar agriculture pumps in only 30 days and received official Guinness World Records recognition as the fastest deployment by a single administrative region in the world, second only to China in terms of scale. The achievement, announced on December 5 at a certificate ceremony at AURIC City grounds in Shendra MIDC attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, was carried out under the PM-KUSUM (Component B) and state Magel Tyala Saur Krushi Pump Yojana schemes by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).​

Operational Success Factors

MSEDCL attributed this mainly to strategic planning that included priority installations in drought-prone areas, empanelled vendors with stringent three-day grievance resolution SLAs, parallel deployment teams, and real-time monitoring. Pumps were sized by landholding—3HP for up to 2.5 acres, 5HP for up to 5 acres, and 7HP for larger farms—with farmer training and a shift to solar-exclusive new connections ensuring reliability. Shakti Pumps contributed 8,846 units, highlighting robust vendor partnerships.​

Broader Impact and Targets Now, the State has installed more than 7.47 lakh solar pumps, with the target of 10.45 lakh, in order to reduce grid dependency, improving irrigation security and enhancing farmers' incomes against climate vagaries. Fadnavis termed it a step toward the clean energy vision of PM Modi, while MSEDCL MD Lokesh Chandra said it is about scalable accountability for small farmers. Guinness verifier Carl Saville confirmed verification at every stage of the solar pump installation in Maharashtra and said that it crossed the 35,000-mark of solar pumps installed on the ground. ​ This model thus provides a blueprint for India and Global South nations pursuing renewable agriculture.

While B.Sc. in Agriculture relates to the 'Science of farming', B.Tech in Agriculture is all about technology and innovation in machinery and systems of farming. That depends on whether the student wants a research or scientific route or a technological or engineering route.

B.Sc. vs. B.Tech Agriculture: - Agriculture isn't all about fields and crops; rather, it is one thriving industry which merges science and technology with commerce. As it happens with any other course, students who want to pursue their higher education in the field of agriculture come across a very important question, i.e.

B.Sc. Agriculture or B.Tech Agriculture: Which one to pursue?

Though both degrees are promising, the difference in goals revolves around the focus of the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and that of the Bachelor of Technology in Agriculture. Whereas one deals with the science behind understanding crops and soil, another deals with technological innovation in machinery and farming systems.

While the objective of B.Sc. Agriculture is an in-depth scientific and theoretical knowledge of agriculture, the idea behind B. Tech in Agriculture, also known as Agricultural Engineering, constitutes the engineering and technological applications to agriculture. Which degree a student needs to pursue would depend upon his career goals.

B.Sc. Agriculture vs B.Tech Agriculture

First things first, before making the head-to-head comparison between both degrees, there needs to be an overview of what each degree has in store for students who want to pursue higher education and a career in agriculture.

What is B.Sc. Agriculture?

BS in Agriculture is an undergraduate four-year course and highlights the science and technology of agriculture, focused on crop production, soil sciences, and current agricultural practice. In this respect, the structure of the course covers theoretical and practical aspects and would prepare the graduate for successful careers in: Agricultural Research Scientist Agribusiness Sustainable agriculture Agricultural Officer Farm Manager, etc. 

What is B.Tech in Agriculture? 

The Bachelor of Technology in Agriculture is a four-year course that integrates principles of engineering with agricultural sciences for improving farming. During the course, the students learn to implement engineering in the management of water and soil resources, the design of farm machinery, construction of agricultural infrastructure, and developing food processing technologies. 

B. Tech. in Agriculture is ideal for those students who have an interest in technology applied to agriculture to raise its efficiency and sustainability, desiring to pursue their careers in: Farm Machinery Irrigation Engineer Food Supervisor, Agricultural Specialist, Soil Scientist, Microbiologist, etc. The decision relating to B.Sc. Agriculture or B.Tech Agriculture has to be made based on the interest and career goals of the student while keeping the future aspirations in mind.

Nearly half of India's population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods, and it accounts for 18% of the country's GDP, making it the backbone of the Indian economy.

Increasing training, research, and education has become essential to achieving sustainability and productivity in the industry. Under the concept of "Viksit Krishi aur Samruddh Kisan"—developed agriculture and affluent farmers—the nation hopes to attain a 5 percent agricultural growth rate.

The highest authority for agricultural research and education is the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, or ICAR. It was founded in 1929 under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare's Department of Agricultural Research and Education.

It co-ordinates research and higher education in agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences through a wide network of 113 national research institutes and 74 agricultural universities.

The farm-level technology transfer is ensured through its 731 KVKs; the academic standards for ICAR are maintained through the ICAR Model Act (Revised 2023) and institutional accreditation through the National Agricultural Education Accreditation Board.

The agricultural education scenario is vast with 63 State Agricultural Universities, three Central Agricultural Universities (Pusa, Imphal and Jhansi), four Deemed Universities (IARI-Delhi, NDRI-Karnal, IVRI-Izatnagar and CIFE-Mumbai) and four Central Universities having faculties of agriculture.

Dissemination of technology is further reinforced by eleven ATARIs, the Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes.

Contribution by the private sector has also increased within the same period, with the number of private agricultural colleges accredited by the ICAR increasing from five in 2020–21 to 22 in 2024–25, underlining the expansion of educational participation beyond the public system.

These three Central Agricultural Universities have a regional role to play.

Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar, established in 2016 by rechristening Rajendra Agricultural University, has eight constituent colleges imparting courses in eight disciplines.

Presently, it is operating 18 KVKs in Bihar and providing short-term diploma and certificate courses under the National Education Policy.

In 1993, Central Agricultural University was founded in Imphal, Manipur. Currently, seven states in the northeast make up its mandate area. With 10 undergraduate, 48 master's, and 34 doctoral programs offered by its 13 constituent colleges, the university can accept about 3,000 students in the 2024–2025 academic year. With its constituent colleges in Jhansi and Datia, Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, was established in 2014 as a national center of excellence in agricultural sciences, offering multidisciplinary education and research in Agronomy, Veterinary Science, and Agricultural Engineering. IoT and AI are two examples of developing technologies that help modernize agriculture in India. Drones, climate-smart systems, precision farming, and AI-driven crop monitoring are all promoted by government efforts.  

As many as 25 Technology Innovation Hubs have been established under NM-ICPS, with specialist hubs at IIT Ropar, IIT Bombay, and IIT Kharagpur on AI and IoT for agri-tech applications. 

Further, the IoT Centres of Excellence in Visakhapatnam and Bengaluru bring together startups, academia, and investors in fostering innovation. The Innovation and Agri-entrepreneurship Development Programme of RKVY has been supporting agri-tech, agro-processing, AI, IoT, and value-added agriculture start-ups since 2018-19, thereby generating employment in villages and enhancing farmers' income. Farmed training and skill development remain important in transforming Indian agriculture. STRY for training of rural youth, SMAM for sub-mission on agricultural mechanization, PMKVY for Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, among various other initiatives under KVKs and ATMA, continuously build grassroots capacity. KVKs have trained over 58 lakh farmers between 2021–22 and 2023–24, with another 18.56 lakh in the first ten months of 2024–25.

 In this period from 2021 to 2025, ATMA also trained close to 1.27 crore farmers, and STRY trained over 51,000 rural youth in short-term vocational courses. Under SMAM, more than 57,000 farmers received mechanization training, and the Soil Health Card Scheme distributed over 25 crore cards, backed by 93,000 trainings and 6.8 lakh demonstrations on nutrient management. More than 10,000 FPOs have been registered across the country, which are promoting market-oriented capacity through digital training in agri-business management, value chains, and marketing. Education, innovation, and empowerment of farmers together create the foundation for the Indian government's quest to have "One Nation-One Agriculture-One Team" to bring about a Viksit Bharat through a prosperous and sustainable future of agriculture.

PJTSAU and WSU, Australia, have signed a landmark agreement to offer the country's first-of-its-kind BSc Agriculture programme.

A delegation from PJTSAU led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Aldas Janaiah called on WSU on Monday and held elaborate discussions with its Vice-Chancellor and President George Williams AO, along with other senior officials.

Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University in collaboration with Western Sydney University in Australia has officially inaugurated a novel joint BSc Agriculture course, which is the first ever such combination in India. This historic agreement was inked after high-level discussions between the PJTSAU delegation, led by its Vice-Chancellor Professor Aldas Janaiah, with the leadership of WSU, including Vice-Chancellor and President George Williams AO.

Key Features of the Joint Programme

Postgraduate Pathways:

Upon completion of the dual degree, students can go on to complete a one-year Master’s at WSU that will provide them with eligibility for up to three years of post-study work rights in Australia. Highly qualified graduates also have opportunities to apply directly to a WSU PhD, which is often funded through scholarships or fee waivers.

Focus on Innovation and AI:

This will involve research into and the implementation of artificial intelligence in agricultural technologies for the benefit of the students and farming communities in Telangana.​ Admissions and Intake: The course will begin in the 2025-26 academic year, admitting a total of 40 students. Eligibility: Minimum 75% marks in Biology, Physics, and Chemistry at Intermediate level (12th std). Application details and admission notification, including NRI quota, would be made available through PJTSAU.​ Recognition and Importance This course is accredited by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, which guarantees its credibility and value in India and abroad.​ This collaboration represents an "academic first" between India and Australia as far as undergraduate agricultural education is concerned and would open global exposure, collaborative research, and skill development. It thus would mark a new chapter in Indo-Australian academic collaboration for world-class agricultural education and research to the students of India while further consolidating the bilateral relationship of the two nations.