Jorhat (Assam) [India]: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the closing ceremony of the platinum jubilee celebration of Assam Agricultural University held at the Jorhat campus of the premier institution of the Northeastern region dedicated to agricultural studies.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated four numbers of projects for AAU on Wednesday.
Speaking at the event, CM Sarma lauded AAU for producing some of the finest human resources in the field of agricultural sciences who have made the State proud through their excellence in their professional fields.
Referring to the role of Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi in the establishment of AAU, Sarma said that this great institution of higher learning has been contributing immensely towards the growth of the State’s agricultural economy.
He also praised the University for doing the needful that led to improvement in its ranking in the National Institute Ranking Framework.
The Chief Minister further stated that owing to the achievements of AAU in the field of agricultural research, many institutions of eminence from across the country as well as abroad have started to take note of the Northeast’s premier agricultural education institution.
He said that initiatives such as the preservation and improvement of indigenous species of fish and muga detection kits by AAU would go a long way in further strengthening the State’s agricultural economy.
CM Sarma said, “Agricultural research should be used in such a way that apart from promoting food security, they are able to contribute towards the welfare of farmers as well. These apart, agricultural researches should also focus on promotion and conservation of biodiversity.”
The Chief Minister said that any discussion and strategy on food security need to focus on three components and these were the availability of food resources, greater production of food resources and universal ability to purchase food resources.
He said, “Agricultural practices in modern times need to make extensive uses of artificial intelligence, environment-friendly technology, and high-yielding varieties of seeds, among others. Modern technologies are aiding towards making agricultural practices more profitable”.
CM said that all farmers and cultivators of the State should be encouraged to make use of modern technologies while adding that many farmers in Assam were not aware of modern agricultural practices.
“Steps will have to be taken to strengthen the agricultural marketing system”, he added.
CM Sarma inaugurated an organic manure and pesticides manufacturing unit built at a cost of Rs 3 crore, an agricultural biotechnology D.B.T and the newly constructed building of North-East Centre built at a cost of Rs 4 crore, an agri-tourism retreat built at a cost of Rs 4 crore and an international auditorium of AAU that cost a total of Rs 31 crore. He also inaugurated a 1-Mw on-grid rooftop solar power plant.
