NCEEA-2025 concludes with roadmap for sustainable farming innovations

Ramban, June 29: The threeday National Congress on Entomology and Emerging Agrotechnologies (NCEEA-2025) in which 115 participants from all over the country took part, concluded on Sunday at the scenic alpine meadows of Sanasar, here with a strong set of recommendations to transform Indian agriculture through sustainable practices for Viksit Bharat.As per a statement issued to Rising Kashmir, held from June 27–29, the conference brought together experts to discuss eco-friendly pest management, climate-resilient farming, and region-specific agrotechnologies. Organised by the Entomological Science Academy in collaboration with SKUAST Jammu and IIT Jammu, the event emphasized aligning agricultural education, research, and extension with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to foster innovation and employability. In a special virtual address, Poonam Jasrotia, ADG (Plant Protection and Biosafety), ICAR, New Delhi, highlighted the need for region-specific technologies to enhance hill agriculture, particularly for indigenous crops such as Anardana, Kasrod, Kaladi, potatoes, and minor fruits. She stressed the importance of advanced pest surveillance, precision farming, and value-added processing to boost productivity.  The conference outlined several key recommendations, including the promotion of biological control using local bioagents and the mainstreaming of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). It advocated integration of entomology with cutting age technologies like AI, genomes and biotechnology. Participants called for stronger biotech research to develop stress-tolerant crops, the integration of renewable energy with Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), and improved agrotech support for Ramban’s unique crops. Emphasis was also placed on developing robust post-harvest value chains, researching emerging threats like invasive species, and fostering agro-ecosystem conservation. Collaborative platforms linking farmers, scientists, and industries were proposed to nurture future-ready agro-entrepreneurs.  Rakesh Kumar Gupta, President of the Entomological Science Academy, reaffirmed the society’s allegiance to sustainable and technology driven agricultural growth in J&K and beyond. The academy expressed gratitude to SKUAST Jammu’s Vice Chancellor and university officials for their support in organizing the event. Special gratitude and appreciation were extended to Deputy Commissioner Ramban, Mohd. Alyas Khan for his gracious presence and also for the support district administration Ramban, under his leadership, provided. The organisers also appreciated PY Resorts, Sanasar, for logistic support and outstanding arrangements.