NIRJULI, 1 Oct: Agriculture and allied departments minister Gabriel D. Wangsu on Wednesday stressed that agricultural technology must be affordable, accessible and suited to the ground realities of the Northeast.

Addressing the valedictory ceremony of EARITA 2026 at NERIST, Nirjuli, Wangsu said the success of agricultural innovation should be measured by how effectively it reaches and benefits farmers.

He said technologies developed for large, mechanised farms elsewhere cannot simply be replicated in the Northeast, where farmers face small landholdings, difficult terrain, diverse agro-climatic conditions and traditional farming practices.

The minister highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence, drones, remote sensing, IoT-based water management and smart irrigation to improve farm productivity and resource efficiency. He also stressed that mechanisation should reduce drudgery, improve safety and suit local farming conditions.

Wangsu called for bridging the digital divide in rural areas and ensuring that emerging technologies such as AI and machine-vision systems remain accessible to small and marginal farmers. He said such technologies could also help reduce post-harvest losses, improve quality and create opportunities for rural entrepreneurship.

He urged researchers to move beyond conference halls and prototypes and focus on field testing and wider adoption of technologies under actual conditions. He also called for stronger collaboration among NERIST, research institutions, industry, the agriculture department and farmers.

The minister encouraged students and young researchers to explore opportunities in AI, robotics, drones, sensors, biotechnology, food processing, renewable energy and digital platforms, saying the Northeast should aim to develop agricultural technologies suited to its own conditions.

The valedictory ceremony was attended by NERIST director prof. Narendranath S, scientists, academicians, researchers and students.