95th ICAR Foundation and Technology Day celebrated at Krishi Vigyan Kendra Namthang

Namchi, 17th July: A celebration to commemorate the 95th ICAR Foundation Day was held at Krishi Vigyan Kendra Namthang. Every year 16th July is celebrated as Foundation Day of ICAR but from this year onwards it had been decided to observe it as the ‘Foundation and Technology Day’. The event is being organised from 16th – 18th July 2023 to showcase the novel technologies developed by the different ICAR institutes in the exhibition which will help in the large-scale dissemination and popularization of the technologies.
The ICAR Foundation and Technology Day on 17th July 2023 was graced by the Hon’ble Up-Adakshya Namchi District Zilla Panchayat Shri. Bikash Tamang as the Chief guest along with public representatives Hon’ble Panchayats Shri Narayan Pradhan and Shri. Khemraj Timsina. Officials present in the programme were Senior Scientist and Head Krishi Vigyan Kendra Shri I. P. Shivakoti, Deputy Director Agriculture Dept. Dr. Nation Chamling, Deputy Director Horticulture Dept. Saroja Tamang, Subject Matter Specialist of KVK. Technical and administrative staff of KVK, field functionaries of State Agriculture Dept., State Horticulture Dept. and KVK, FPO’s of Passi and Karek and farmers were present in the programme.
At the outset of the programme the guest were welcomed followed by the lighting of lamps and the ICAR song. A small cake cutting ceremony was also held to celebrate the 95th ICAR Foundation Day by the guests. Senior Scientist and Head Shri. I.P. Shivakoti highlighted on the importance of the Day and the initiatives taken up by ICAR to help the farming community in varied sectors for sustainable and improved farming techniques. He also gave a brief on the works taken up by the Kendra and the technologies disseminated till date.
In line with the celebration of ‘Technology Day’ various technologies and awareness were disseminated through PowerPoint presentations in the technical session. Dr. Pravesh Shivakoty Subject Matter Specialist (Plant Protection) KVK focused on the importance of smart agriculture in modern day farming and the use of agriculture drones an unmanned aerial vehicle for mechanization in agriculture. Subject Matter Specialist (Horticulture) Yangchenla Bhutia presented the technology of vertical farming and its application in various sectors. To focus on the ‘International Year of Millets -2023’ Subject Matter Specialist (Agronomy) Ambika Sharma gave a detailed presentation of the importance of millet in human diet and the need to increase the area in millet cultivation. She also presented the different initiatives taken up by the Kendra to promote millet. Deputy Director Saroja Tamang gave an insight on the various on-going schemes of the Horticulture Department which have benefitted the farmers in the district. Deputy Director Agriculture Dept. Dr. Nation Chamling presented the works done by ATMA and the various on-going schemes of the Department.
The technical session was followed by the visit of the guests to the technology showcased stall after which an agriculture drone technology demonstration was carried out by the drone pilots Dr. Pravesh Shivakoty and Dil Kumar Lamichaney. The programme ended with the vote of thanks proposed by the MC of the progaramme Nissi Gurung Senior Research Fellow NICRA.
(Press Release from KVK, Namthang)