An international training of African-Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO) on ‘Agricultural Engineering Technologies for Enhancing Productivity and Profitability in Agriculture Sector’ that commenced on October 24 here at ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (CIAE) concluded on Monday.
The training sponsored by AARDO and Ministry of Rural Development, GOI was attended by eight participants; one each from Bangladesh, Egypt, lebanon, Malaysia, Palestine, Sri lanka, Sudan and Zambia. During this 14-day training programme, knowledge about technologies and equipment for agricultural production, irrigation and drainage, processing and value addition and renewable energy was imparted through lectures, presentations, practical sessions, hand-on experience and field visits.
Valedictory function of the training was held on Monday in the presence of Secretary General of African-Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO) His Excellency Engineer Wassfi Hassan El Sreihin.
KK Singh, Director, ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering presided over the function. The Secretary General of AARDO informed that the AARDO was formed in 1962 in recognition of need for cooperation among countries in the field of agriculture and rural development. He also told that AARDO is an autonomous inter-Governmental organisation with 32 member countries.
In the specific area of Agricultural Engineering, AARDO has been collaborating with ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (CIAE), Bhopal since 2010 and all its programmes have been highly effective in imparting appropriate technical know-how to the participants.
In his presidential address, KK Singh, Director, ICAR-CIAE said that over more than four decades of its existence, ICAR-CIAE has developed many technologies highly relevant to marginal, small and medium scale farmers.
The institute is an active collaborator to various international agencies like AARDO, UN-EPCAM, WAAP, USAID, SAARC, etc. He further added that this course aimed at enlightening the participants in the areas of: Agricultural Mechanisation, Post-harvest Mechanisation, On-farm Energy Management and Agricultural Mechanisation Strategies; relevant to the member countries of AARDO and informed that this is fifth time that ICAR-CIAE has organised training for participants of AARDO member countries.