Agri Business Incubation (ABI) Centre of ICAR IIHR organizes EDP training on ‘Digital Horticulture’

The programme commenced with a welcome address delivered by Dr. A. Carolin Rathina Kumari, Principal Scientist and Course Director, Division of PHT&AE. She warmly welcomed the dignitaries, resource persons, and participants, and highlighted the significance and objectives of the training programme. This was followed by participant introductions and introductory remarks by the Nodal Officer, ITMU & ABI, and the Head of the Division.

The inaugural session was presided over by Dr. T. K. Behera, Director, ICAR–IIHR. In his inaugural address, he emphasized the importance of Digital Horticulture and Precision Farming Systems in improving crop productivity, resource-use efficiency, and sustainable agricultural practices. He highlighted the growing role of IoT, robotics, automation, and nanotechnology in modern horticulture and encouraged participants to focus on developing farmer-friendly, low-cost technologies for large-scale adoption. He also stressed the importance of precise application of nutrients and water to enhance crop productivity and reduce input losses.

Following the inaugural session, a series of technical sessions were conducted under the guidance of Dr. A. Carolin Rathina Kumari. The programme covered a wide range of topics related to Digital Horticulture and Precision Farming Systems, including:

• Automation and robotics in horticultural crop production, along with a visit to the Agricultural Engineering Section

• Smart fertigation and automatic weather-based irrigation management in vegetable crops

• Urban horticulture technologies and field visits

• Protected cultivation and greenhouse automation for horticultural crops, along with IIHR field visits

• IoT-based digital horticulture and mobile applications for farm advisories

• Sensor-based smart packaging and traceability systems in post-harvest management of horticultural crops, including a visit to the Post Harvest Technology Division

• Nanofertilizers in modern agriculture: recent advances, mechanisms, and future prospects

• Hyperspectral imaging in pest surveillance and monitoring, and the use of drones for pesticide application

• Visits to the PHT laboratory and BESST-HORT facilities

The sessions were delivered by expert scientists from various divisions, including PHT&AE, Natural Resources, Crop Protection, and Vegetable Crops. The programme effectively integrated theoretical lectures with practical demonstrations and field visits, thereby providing participants with valuable hands-on exposure to advanced horticultural technologies and precision farming systems. A total of 30 participants from Alva’s Institute of Engineering and Technology actively participated in the programme and benefited from the interactive sessions and demonstrations.

The programme concluded on evening of 08.05.2026 with a certificate distribution ceremony. The valedictory session ended with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. S. Bhuvaneswari, who expressed sincere gratitude to the Director, resource persons, participants, and organizing staff for their valuable support and contributions towards the successful conduct of the training