Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged closer links between farming knowledge and scientific research at a New Delhi agriculture conference on June 13, 2026. The two-day event involved ABRSM, ICAR and the Agriculture Ministry.
Alongside drones and artificial intelligence, his address emphasised water conservation, micro-irrigation, soil management and suitable seeds. These are not interchangeable technologies: some gather information, while others change how water and nutrients reach a crop.
ICAR's micro-irrigation training programme for Uttar Pradesh horticulture officials shows the practical knowledge involved. Its curriculum covers crop-water requirements, irrigation schedules, fertigation, system design, operation and maintenance.
That combination matters because installing equipment is only one part of using it. A system's layout must work with a crop's requirements, and scheduling determines when it delivers water. Maintenance remains part of the technology after the initial purchase.
The conference's technology agenda thus links equipment with agronomic decisions. Crop-water requirements guide system design and scheduling; operation and maintenance keep that design working after installation.
