Patna: A two-day workshop at Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU) concluded on Tuesday with a focus on equipping stakeholders with practical digital tools and strategies to make farming smarter, more efficient and accessible to small and marginal farmers.Held under the theme “Digital Tools–Smarter Farms–Stronger India,” the workshop on the “Strategic Roadmap of Digital Agriculture for Viksit Bharat @2047” centred on turning emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) into practical solutions for Indian agriculture.At the valedictory session, RPCAU vice-chancellor P S Pandey said digital agriculture would succeed only if technology reaches farmers at the grassroots, stressing that solutions must be low-cost, easy to operate and adaptable to local conditions.The proposed roadmap highlighted the need to strengthen rural digital infrastructure, expand data-driven crop advisories and promote affordable precision-farming equipment to improve productivity, optimise resource use and reduce environmental impact.R Subbaiah, dean of the College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, presented key outcomes from the sessions. Bikash Das, director of ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi, Muzaffarpur, emphasised the role of smart and climate-resilient technologies in modern farming.Registrar P K Pranav said stepping up skill-building initiatives and collaborative research would help bridge the rural digital divide and prepare future agricultural professionals for a technology-driven transformation.
