LG Sinha Calls for Farmer-Centric Innovation at 60th ISAE Annual Convention
Srinagar, October 5, 2026: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday called upon agricultural scientists, engineers and innovators to develop technologies that are affordable, accessible and capable of delivering tangible benefits to small and marginal farmers.
Addressing the 60th Annual Convention of the Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers (ISAE), co-hosted by Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor said agricultural technology must be designed for real-world conditions and the financial realities of farmers.
“Create technology that can endure in real fields, under real monsoon conditions, and within the limited budgets of real farmers,” Sinha said, urging innovators to focus on practical solutions rather than limiting their achievements to patents and research publications.
He said the real measure of technological success should be its long-term impact on farmers. “Do not measure your success solely by patents or published research papers. Measure it by whether, five years later, a small farmer in Anantnag, Amritsar or Akola is genuinely better off because of your tools,” he said.
Congratulating the ISAE on completing six decades of service to the nation, Sinha commended SKUAST-Kashmir for its contribution to agricultural education, research and innovation. He said Jammu and Kashmir, with its rich agricultural heritage and diverse terrain, provides an appropriate setting for discussions on the future of farming.
Referring to the convention’s themes—Women-Led Engineering Innovations in Smart Farming and AI and Robotics for Gen-Z Farming—the Lieutenant Governor said India had moved from addressing food security challenges to emerging as a major force in global agriculture.
Recalling the contribution of agricultural scientists and engineers since the establishment of ISAE in 1960, he said mechanisation and technological innovations had played a crucial role in the Green Revolution and in reducing post-harvest losses. He urged the younger generation to draw inspiration from these achievements while developing solutions to contemporary challenges, including climate change, resource scarcity and sustainable agriculture.
Sinha also stressed the need to strengthen the role of women in agricultural technology. Observing that a significant proportion of the rural female workforce is engaged in farming and allied activities, often without adequate access to land ownership or remuneration, he called for greater institutional and financial support for women innovators.
He urged educational institutions and private-sector stakeholders to promote women-led agri-tech start-ups and establish laboratories, fellowships and incubation platforms to support young women engineers and scientists, particularly those from rural areas.
“Women-led start-ups in agricultural technology should receive financing with the same confidence with which any other start-up is provided the necessary support and facilities,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor further called for engineering colleges and agricultural universities to create opportunities for women to progress into positions of technological leadership.
On artificial intelligence and robotics, Sinha said technological advancement in agriculture must remain centred on affordability and accessibility. He cautioned against innovations being restricted to large landholders and stressed that new technologies should also reach small and marginal farmers, who constitute the overwhelming majority of India’s farming community.
He advocated development of agricultural tools that can operate on ordinary smartphones in low-bandwidth rural areas, besides promoting collective ownership and leasing models through Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).
Citing drones, IoT-based sensors and machine-learning applications as examples of technologies transforming agriculture, Sinha said innovators must ensure that such solutions remain effective beyond conference halls and research laboratories.
“I urge the Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers, SKUAST-Kashmir, and every young engineer and innovator to develop tools with affordability and access at their core,” he said, adding that technology for the next generation of farming should advance alongside small and marginal farmers.
Sinha described Jammu and Kashmir’s Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) as a model with the potential to be replicated in other parts of the country. He expressed confidence that agricultural scientists and engineers from across India would draw lessons from the Union Territory’s experience in precision agriculture and sustainable resource management.
The Lieutenant Governor also felicitated recipients of various ISAE awards on the occasion.
Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Javid Ahmad Dar; Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production, Dr Ashish Chandra Verma; Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Kashmir Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai; ISAE President Dr S.N. Jha; Prof V.P. Singh of Texas A&M University; ISAE Secretary General Dr P.K. Sahoo; Convener of the 60th ISAE Convention Prof Rohitashw Kumar; Organising Secretary Dr Mudasir Ali; besides ISAE members, researchers, academicians, technocrats, innovators, industry representatives, faculty members and students attended the event.
