Varanasi: In view of advancing agricultural innovation by promoting the adoption of modern technologies among farmers and strengthening skills in agricultural sciences, BHU on Monday signed an MoU with Cholapur Kalyan Farmer Producer Company Ltd to strengthen collaboration in the fields of agriculture and horticulture.Under this agreement, both parties will jointly work in areas such as natural farming, protected cultivation, integrated farming systems, urban horticulture, roof top gardening and precision horticulture. Additionally, research and extension activities will be accelerated to promote resource conservation technologies, organic farming, and innovative agricultural practices.The key objectives of the MoU include organizing training programmes for farmers and students, capacity building, internships, field exposure, and promoting experiential learning through a “learning by doing” approach. Special emphasis will also be placed on the availability of quality planting material, value addition to agricultural produce, branding, and marketing.As part of this initiative, agriculture-based enterprises such as fisheries, poultry, and beekeeping will be encouraged. The adoption of smart agricultural technologies such as, sensor-based irrigation, digital crop monitoring, and ICT/GIS-based decision support systems, will also be emphasized.The MoU was signed by registrar Prof Arun Kumar Singh and Shailendra Raghuvanshi, director of Cholapur Kalyan Farmer Producer Company Limited, in the presence of BHU vice-chancellor Prof Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi. Under this partnership, farmers will receive training in modern agricultural technologies, advanced production methods, and effective market linkage strategies.The VC said that along with agricultural production, it is equally important to understand the market and noted that production aligned with market demand would be highly beneficial for farmers. He further emphasized that the research and technological advancements developed by the Institute of Agricultural Sciences should be effectively taken to the fields through farmers.Prof. Chaturvedi also highlighted that quality production must be complemented with effective branding and marketing. He suggested that collaboration with BHU’s Institute of Management Studies could be explored in this regard. Appreciating the work of Cholapur Kalyan Farmer Producer Company, he remarked that the efforts of the FPO across various sectors are significantly benefiting farmers. He stated that the true success of such initiatives lies in the effectiveness with which their outcomes are translated into tangible impact at the grassroots level.
