The Maize Technologists Association of India (MTAI) in collaboration with ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR) and Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana is all set to hold a National Conference on Maize tilted “A Crop for Food, Feed, Nutritional and Bioenergy Security with Environmental Sustainability” in the University from August 23-25. The Vice-Chancellor of PAU Dr Satbir Singh Gosal will be the chief guest at the inaugural function, scheduled to be organized at Dr. Manmohan Singh Auditorium, PAU, on August 23. Dr SK Vasal, a World Food Laureate, will chair the inaugural function. Besides, Dr SK Pradhan, ADG FFC, ICAR; Dr DK Yadava, ADG Seed, ICAR; Dr BM Prasanna, Maize Program Director, CIMMYT, Mexico; Dr AK Joshi, Managing Director, Borlaug Institute of South Asia (BISA), will be the guests of honor. Dr Himanshu Pathak, Secretary (DARE) and Director General, ICAR, will preside over the plenary session on August 25. A total of 400 participants including scientists, students, farmers, entrepreneurs, and seed/agrochemical company’s representatives are expected to join this conference.
The Chairman of Organizing Committee, Dr Sain Dass, President, MTAI and Former Director, IIMR, New Delhi, informed that the conference aims to bring different stakeholders to discuss new avenues in maize agri-food systems to address various issues of food, feed and energy security for fulfillment of sustainable development goals.
Dr HS Jat, Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, Ludhiana and the Organizing Secretary, said that this conference consists of six themes covering all aspects of maize crop sciences starting from genetic enhancement, novel crop improvement strategies to industrial utilization, stresses management, production technologies and marketing linkages.
Dr Surinder Sandhu, Principal Breeder and Incharge of Maize Section, PAU, said that achieving ecological sustainability through maize will also be one of the focus areas of this conference. All the themes have one keynote lecture and two lead lectures by the experts in the respective fields, she added.
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