Industry Interventions for Development and Adoption of Advanced Farm Technologies in Indian Agriculture

Agriculture sector in India is facing many challenges and showing declining trends in making yielding contributions in the growth statistics of the country. However, the industrial sector is expanding its stake significantly and replacing agricultural/rural resources (land, human power and investment opportunities). Today, in the era of skill oriented multidisciplinary expertise required for handling highly competitive market forces in global village, institutions and industries are to run on parallel track complimenting to each other for overall growth of farm sector. The leading institutions in the area of engineering, management, hospitality and pharmaceutical are the real demonstrators of this Institution-Industry interface for mutual benefits. Various sectors like automobile, medical and health, aviation and even in agricultural sector in developing countries, particularly while working in collaboration with industry have shown positive outcomes. It has been observed that the research funding by the industries for academic purposes and industry participative research outcomes in terms of patents filed have played a vital role in the growth statistics of many countries. To achieve quantum jump in the farm productivity in India, advanced farm technologies and equipment are to be introduced. Like it happened in western countries, there is a need of industrial sector to come forward and join hands with agricultural institutions to introduce advanced farming equipment and develop the human resources for not only business opportunities but also to make agriculture sector grow and enhance the socio-economic status of the rural India. A paradigm shift is required in the functioning of Agricultural institutions and industries to work in collaboration to tap the opportunities in agricultural sector.