SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has called for closer integration of artificial intelligence and human expertise to address challenges facing agriculture and horticulture, including climate change, resource constraints and the need for sustainable farming.
Sinha made the remarks while inaugurating the international symposium on “AI and Robotics for Gen-Z Farming” at the Shalimar Convention Centre of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)-Kashmir on Monday.
He said conventional farming methods alone would not be sufficient to meet emerging challenges and advocated wider use of artificial intelligence, robotics and other advanced technologies to improve productivity while reducing pressure on natural resources.
“Artificial intelligence and human intelligence should work together,” Sinha said, stressing that technological capabilities need to be combined with human experience and expertise.
The Lieutenant Governor said agriculture was facing several pressures and that technological solutions should ultimately translate into tangible benefits for farmers and society.
“With limited resources, we won’t be able to produce more. We need to find out how we can protect agriculture from the effects of climate change and make agriculture and horticulture sustainable,” he said.
Sinha said the symposium could provide a platform for scientists, researchers, experts and innovators to examine practical applications of AI, robotics and other emerging technologies in agriculture.
He said Jammu and Kashmir was a suitable setting for discussions on the future of farming because of its longstanding agricultural traditions and the challenges experienced by farming communities over generations.
The Lieutenant Governor also highlighted the role of women in agriculture, calling for innovations developed by women engineers and researchers to be translated into practical technologies for farming communities.
Referring to labour force data, he said a significant number of rural women were engaged in agriculture, while many continued to make substantial contributions without adequate remuneration.
Sinha called for inclusive smart-farming technologies designed to meet the needs of small and marginal farmers and women engaged in the sector.
He said technological advancement should not be confined to large-scale or commercially viable farms but should reach ordinary farmers and help improve productivity, income and resilience to climate-related challenges.
The international symposium has brought together experts and stakeholders to discuss the potential of AI, robotics and next-generation technologies in agriculture and ways to prepare the sector for emerging challenges.
