06 Jan, 2023 - The Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, interacted with the officers of the university to reflect on the yesteryear and brainstorm goals for the New Year.

Recapitulating the initiatives like increasing production and sale promotion of various field crops’ seed and nurseries; water, soil health and paddy straw management; integrated pest and nutrient management; crop diversification; protected cultivation; and strengthening of teaching, research and extension, Dr S.S. Gosal enlisted certain areas of prime importance that PAU would be delving into.

Development of climate-resilient technologies, speed breeding facilities as well as agro-technologies and energy-efficient agricultural machinery for small and marginal farmers; conservation agriculture; value-addition and post-harvest management of vegetables, fruits and flowers; development of short videos for popularizing agro-technologies; rejuvenation of important varieties of vegetatively propagated crops; production of certified potato seed, biofertilizers, biofertilizers and other agricultural products under ‘PAU Brand’, etc., are some of the domains underpinning the university’s quest for refinement, Dr Gosal explained. “As a leading agricultural university, our responsibility as torchbearers necessitates us to get down to business and contribute our fair share to its progress; we owe it to ourselves and future generations,” he added.

Keeping in view the technologies of the future, Dr Gosal opined that PAU should work on sensor-based technologies, drones, imaging, use of artificial intelligence (AI), algorithms, Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, big data analytics, hydroponics and aeroponics in agriculture. Faculty training and re-training, skillful education in line with national and international demand, global exposure for PG students and meaningful institutional relations would buff the university’s profile. He suggested that collaborative and interdisciplinary mega projects should be submitted to multiple agencies which would be instrumental in raising funds.

Concerning PAU’s Diamond Jubilee Year, he stated that the celebrations would entail holding of conferences, workshops, invited lectures and shows/melas, revamping of infrastructure and research facilities as well as pursuing the ‘Clean and Green PAU Campus’ drive.

Dr Gosal congratulated Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt, Director of Research, for bagging the NAAS Fellowship and exhorted all the participants to strive hard for a brighter future. The meeting was interspersed with an informal exchange of thoughts and ideas to position PAU as a center of excellence in agriculture.

Source: http://www.pau.edu/