PASIGHAT, 4 Jul: The 3rd batch skill development training programme on ‘Agriculture 4.0 Technologies: Building Next-Gen Agri Skills for Tomorrow’s Farms’ concluded on Saturday at the College of Agriculture (CoA) here in East Siang district.
The seven-day programme was conducted under the NABARD-funded project, ‘Empowering Youths and Women through a Pilot Demonstration of Agriculture 4.0 Technologies for Sustainable Farming and Farmer Welfare in Arunachal Pradesh’.
A total of 20 participants, comprising 13 boys and seven girls from East Siang, Lower Siang and West Siang districts completed the programme. The participants included agriculture students, rural youths and young professionals, who received intensive training and hands-on exposure to emerging Agriculture 4.0 technologies.
The programme was coordinated by Assistant Professor Dr Premaradhya N, under the guidance of CoA Dean Prof Sanjay Swami, whose vision and encouragement have been instrumental in establishing the Agriculture 4.0 ecosystem at the college.
The inaugural session was attended by CoA Dean (i/c) Prof RC Shakywar, who encouraged the participants to embrace emerging technologies for sustainable agriculture, and assured of his continuous support to such capacity-building initiatives.
The valedictory programme was attended by College of Horticulture & Forestry Dean Prof L Wangchu, Prof RC Shakywar, NEILIT faculty member Kumar Harsh, and Dr Mahesh Kumar. They appreciated the successful implementation of the programme and encouraged the participants to apply the acquired knowledge for the benefit of the farming community.
NABARD Lower Dibang Valley AGM Nitya Miliwho was virtually in touch with the programme, appreciated the initiative taken by the CoA, and reaffirmed the NABARD’s commitment to supporting innovative projects aimed at empowering youths and promoting sustainable agriculture through technology.
Throughout the programme, participants were exposed to expert lectures and intensive practical training on precision farming, artificial intelligence (AI), 5G communication technologies, Internet of Things (IoT), hydroponics, microgreens, agricultural drones, 3D printing, smart farming technologies, and agri-tech entrepreneurship.
The technical sessions were delivered by eminent experts from academia and industry. Kumar Harsh, Sumi Begum and Ankur Mahanta from the NIELIT, Pasighat handled sessions on Agriculture 4.0, AI, IoT and agricultural drones. Dr Premaradhya N delivered lectures on precision farming and drone applications in agriculture, while Dr Pavan Kumar Goudar shared inspiring success stories of agri-tech startups and rural innovators.
Industry experts significantly enriched the programme through specialised sessions. Garvit Pandya from Innovative Unmanned Systems, Gujarat, conducted sessions on drone safety, maintenance, battery management and DGCA regulations. Jongpongdangba Aier from Amantya Technologies introduced the participants to 5G communication technologies and their applications in smart agriculture. Prof Prashant Jindal from Panjab University delivered an online expert lecture on 3D printing technology and its agricultural applications, while experts from WOL3D conducted practical sessions on CAD design, slicing software and 3D printing workflow.
A major highlight of the programme was the extensive hands-on practical training. Under the guidance of Ventina Yumnam and Lope Romin, the participants gained practical experience in IoT sensor integration, drone assembly, flight planning, agricultural drone flying, mapping, and 3D printer operation, enabling them to understand the real-world applications of modern agricultural technologies.
The organisers expressed gratitude to the NABARD, Itanagar, for supporting the initiative aimed at empowering youths and women through Agriculture 4.0 technologies. They also acknowledged the valuable contributions of NIELIT, Pasighat campus, Amantya Technologies, Innovative Unmanned Systems, Panjab University, WOL3D, all industry partners, resource persons, faculty members and the Agriculture 4.0 project team for making the programme interactive and practice-oriented.
The participants appreciated the unique blend of expert lectures, live demonstrations and intensive hands-on training, describing the programme as an excellent platform for developing practical skills and exploring career opportunities in digital agriculture and agri-tech entrepreneurship.
The organisers announced that the 4th batch of the Agriculture 4.0 skill development training programme will be conducted from 13 to 20 July at the CoA, Pasighat. They encouraged interested students, rural youths, agriculture professionals and aspiring agri-entrepreneurs to register and take advantage of the opportunity.
