Pune: Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) to establish the JFarm Adaptive Agriculture Research & Extension Centre in Hyderabad to boost sustainable farming.
Based at the ICRISAT campus, the agri-research centre will focus on field-validating innovations like machine-harvestable chickpeas, soil conservation, water-use efficiency, crop residue management, and lab-to-land technology transfer.
It will also provide training to farmers on tractor operations, servicing, and integrated mechanization models.
One key highlight will be the promotion of the Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Digital Custom Hiring model that enables mechanization access without the need for ownership.
“Our goal is to implement precision agriculture while safeguarding land and water resources. We have a deep understanding of the diverse needs of the farming community,” said Dr T R Kesavan, group president and a member of TAFE’s board.
Dr Himanshu Pathak, director general at ICRISAT said this collaboration apart from promoting mechanization, it would aid in advancing research to reduce chemical inputs, labour dependency, and environmental impact.
“Our vision extends beyond India and we aim to scale these innovations across Africa also,” he noted.
