Patna: Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU), Pusa, on Thursday began its two-day 21st research council meeting to evaluate and approve 62 new research projects, with a strong emphasis on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital agriculture and robotics.Chairing the inaugural session at Vidyapati Sabhagar, vice-chancellor P S Pandey said Indian agriculture was undergoing rapid transformation and that universities must prepare for the next generation of technological advancements. He stressed that AI, digital agriculture and robotics would fundamentally reshape global agriculture in the coming years, making it imperative for scientists to initiate cutting-edge research in these fields now.Pandey said the university’s researchers had a crucial role in accelerating agricultural innovation and contributing to the Prime Minister’s vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. “Besides projects on AI, digital agriculture and robotics, proposals from other allied agricultural disciplines would also undergo rigorous scientific scrutiny before being approved,” he said.Former Navsari Agricultural University vice-chancellor A R Pathak, attending as an external expert, praised RPCAU’s rapid progress, noting that its rise from the 52nd to the eighth position in the NIRF rankings within three years reflected its remarkable academic and research achievements. “The university’s initiatives in robotics and precision agriculture would further enhance India’s standing in agricultural research,” Pathak said.Former VC of Agricultural University-Kota A K Vyas described RPCAU’s decision to finance research through its own resources as a unique achievement. He said the university was already supporting more than 100 research projects. That approval of 62 additional proposals would significantly strengthen research aimed at developing digital and data-driven technologies to improve farmers’ income.Director of research A K Singh said the university-funded research programme had expanded dramatically over the past four years and was steadily positioning RPCAU for international recognition.
