As part of National Level Campaign on “Agriculture and Environment: The Citizen Face” in commemoration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, ICAR-Directorate of Weed Research, Jabalpur organized a debate competition on 26th November, 2021. All Scientists, Technical staff, RA/ SRF/YP, Students of ICAR-DWR, Jabalpur, and local progressive farmers/residents participated in this programme.

After a brief introduction about the programme, a debate competition on the topic “Will technological progress in agriculture enable the development of sustainable environment-friendly agriculture?” was conducted. The participants discussed how scientific inventions in the fields of biotechnology, genetics, automation, sensors, robotics, implementation of biodiversity principles, and the development fungal, viral, and bacterial disease resistant cultivars etc. will enable the development of sustainable agriculture in the 21st century. Also, implementation of pro-environmental energy innovations and the use of renewable energy sources in energy supplying enterprises and agricultural farms will be an important element of sustainable ecological agriculture in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.

Dr. P. K. Singh, Director (A.), ICAR-DWR, Jabalpur addressed the participants and talked about the importance of such campaigns for the benefit of the Indian citizens and explained about how technological advancement can enhance productivity using efficient processes in sustainable manner. Integrated farming system approach is needed to improve the agricultural productivity, profitability and environmental quality, he added. He emphasized that technological developments coupled with high yielding crop varieties of short duration and especially hybrids will certainly lead to sustainable development. He also, stressed upon the importance of non-chemical approaches like biological control and use of alternative substances to synthetic agrochemicals that causes less risk to the environment and human health.