By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 23 Oct: The 10th International Conference on Recent Advances in Agriculture, Engineering, Applied & Life Sciences for Environmental Sustainability (RAAEALSES-2024) was inaugurated today at Uttaranchal University, which will continue up to 25 October.
The conference is being organised jointly by the School of Agriculture (SOA), Uttaranchal University, and the Agro-Environmental Development Society (AEDS). It was inaugurated by Chief Guest Jitender Joshi, President of Uttaranchal University. Joshi emphasised the importance of innovative agricultural practices and mentioned the successful example of apple orchards in the Mori district of Uttarkashi, which produces fruits in the off-season. He encouraged participants to make plans carefully for agricultural entrepreneurship.
Prof (Dr) Dharam Buddi, Vice Chancellor of Uttaranchal University, emphasised the critical role of agriculture in the national economy, and motivated participants to contribute to India’s development vision of “Viksit Bharat @ 2047”. He stressed that agriculture should remain a top priority for its significant impact on the nation’s GDP. Prof Rajesh Bahuguna, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the university, emphasised the importance of sustainable agricultural practices, which is essential for food security and environmental protection.
Prof Mahipal Singh, Director of the School of Agriculture, and Organising Chairman, outlined how the School of Agriculture (SOA) is addressing contemporary research to identify the challenges, and working to solve local agricultural problems.
Special Guest Dr Sanjay Kumar Jha, Associate Professor from the Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, highlighted innovative research collaborations between India and Nepal.
Dr Sarvesh Rastogi, the Convener of the conference shared insights into the biotechnological research being conducted at Uttaranchal University aimed at improving crop growth and yield.
Dr Chhatrapal Singh, President of AEDS and Organising Secretary, announced that the conference would feature five technical sessions, with 74 expert oral and poster presentations and more than 400 participants, including researchers, academicians, and students from different institutions across the country.
The inaugural session was also witnessed by prominent university officials, including Dr Kartik Gaur, Deputy Registrar; KB Pokhriyal, Controller of Examinations; Dr Ramveer Tanwar, University Librarian; and Dr Amit Bhatt, Campus Director.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Dr Rajendra Prasad, Head, School of Agriculture, who acknowledged the efforts of all contributors and participants.
