Srinagar, Sep 03: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Tuesday inaugurated a two-day brainstorming session on remote sensing and GIS-based land use suitability for agriculture and urban planning.
Organised by SKUAST-K’s Division of Soil Science under the J&K’s Government’s flagship Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP), the brainstorming session is hosting renowned policy makers, diplomats, bureaucrats, subject experts and industrial people to discuss sustainable land use planning for agriculture and urbanisation, the role of data and remote sensing in agriculture, and climate change.
Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, who was the chief guest at the occasion, stressed upon the data driven decision support system for policy planning for agriculture and urbanisation. He also stressed study of models that have been implemented nationally and globally, having both success and failure to devise a comprehensive plan for the UT of J&K before making a closed door, unscientific and unplanned policy.
Khurshid Ganai, retired IAS officer and former advisor to J&K Governor, stressed on restricting the conversion of agricultural land for construction and other purposes. He said there needs to be a proper policy for building new housing colonies with stress on satellite townships and vertical housing on Karewa lands based on the suitability assessment from remote sensing and GIS technology.
Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, Mandeep Kaur, welcomed various suggestions regarding urban planning and judicious land use. She said collaboration and research with institutions like SKUAST-K is required for planning a better future and prioritising sustainable development. She highlighted that monitoring of the land use is a challenge though they are trying at the panchayat level using these technologies.
Revenue Secretary, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, stressed upon the development of robust digital platform for the georeferencing of revenue records to frame a policy at the micro level.
Experts from IIT Bombay and Tirupati, and IARI New Delhi in their keynote addresses talked about smart urban development and role of GIS in agriculture land use planning. Both IIT Bombay and Tirupati announced their support to SKUAST-K for developing the nodal centres and handholding of students and faculty in developing the commercial products based on GIS and remote sensing technologies.
A number of session and panel discussions are lined up for the two days to delve on the various topics on land use, remote sensing, use of technology, urban planning, climate change etc.
Director Research, SKUAST-K, Prof Haroon Naik, welcomed the guests and panelists in the inaugural session where as Dean Horticulture, Prof Shabir A Wani presented the vote of thanks. Organising Secretary of the Brainstorming Session, Dr Shabir A Bangroo, delivered a detailed talk on the purpose and aim behind the event.
A faculty startup, ‘Farm2i’, a comprehensive AI and satellite data-driven farm management and decision support system, was also launched at the event. Vice Chancellor and other dignitaries praised the team Farm2i for developing the first of its kind AI and satellite based disruptive technology to mark the initiation of digital agriculture mission in J&K.
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