GTech to organise a Conference on IT in Agriculture

Thiruvananthapuram is all set to host the Group of Technopark companies Conference on IT in Agriculture with the theme ‘Re-engineering the Kerala Agriculture Sector: Information and Communication Technologies in Agriculture on 22^nd of January 2010

The conference is being organized by the Group of Technopark Companies (GTech) in partnership with NABARD, Kerala State IT Mission and Technopark to examine the several ongoing projects that aim to provide IT- based Services to specific domains such as Agriculture Marketing, Agriculture production and Extension Services. The Conference would also bring to the fore the core issues of the Agriculture Sector in Kerala and discuss how ICT’s could be employed in addressing these challenges. The conference would bring together experts and thought leaders from the Kerala IT Industry, Senior Government Officials, representatives from the National Development Organisations, NGO’s, representatives from the Kerala agricultural community and the Media.

Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management in Kerala (IIITMK) is the Knowledge Partner for the Conference. The Conference would have three sessions dedicated to the use of ICT’s in Agriculture Marketing, Production and Extensions Services.

Shri. Mullakara Ratnakaran, the Hon. Minister for Agriculture, Government of Kerala would deliver the inaugural address. The other speakers include Dr. Ajay Kumar IAS, Principal Secretary, IT Government of Kerala, Prof. Rajeev Srinivasan, Corporate Strategy, IIM Bangalore, Mr. K C Shashidhar, Chief General Manager, NABARD, Dr. Shri Jayadev Urs, University of Mysore, Dr. Satichananda Sagola, Global Risk Hub, Ms. Annie George, Building and Enabling Disaster Resilience of Coastal Communities, Nagapattinam, Dr. A K Sherief, Kerala Agricultural College and Mr. Ajith Kumar, IIITMK

In a press release issued today, Mr. S Rama Rao, President of GTech said that ICT in Agriculture sector is of special significance and plays a vital role in transformations relating to the delivery of services as well as in the marketing of agricultural products and added that GTech would play the role of catalyst in facilitating more such interactions between the technology and the farming community in Kerala.

Mr. Satish Babu, Secretary GTech said that the organisation would work closely with development organisations in Kerala to facilitate the usage of ICT in development sector and said that the conference would showcase successful case studies on Innovations in the Agriculture Sector