A team from Department of Telecommunications(DoT), Ministry of Communications, visited Indian Agriculture Research Institute (ICAR)- Pusa Institute, as part of 5G usecase lab exploration with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoAFW), a follow up of DoT’s Inter-ministerial committee deliberations and industry presentations with indigenous 5G solutions to MoAFW.
Dr. PK Meherda, JS, Digital Agriculture (DAC & FW); ICAR-IARI team – Dr. Ashok K Singh, Director; Dr Anil Rai, ADG (ICT); Dr. Rabi N Sahoo, Principle Scientist and their enthusiastic expert teams facilitated the visit for the DoT team comprising Shri Kishore Babu YGSC, DDG (S-R-I), Alex Vikas, ADG (S-R-I). The campus is a host of excellent digital initiatives on Smart Farming front. There is a good scope for “5G technology engagement” and a “Digicom CoE and usecase lab” at ICRA on Smart AG-Tech Farming.
Outcomes envisaged from the aforementioned initiative are: 1. Complement digital innovation actions of MoAFW with 5G innovation in Agri sector with DoT partnership 2. Build engagement with Telecom Service Providers and 5G industry on precision agriculture and smart farming enabling trying of pilots and 5G driven solutions 3. Opportunity to create a CoE and usecase lab under MoAFW with Digicom solutions.
A task force with officers from both sides would develop the work program with deliverables in a time-bound manner.
5G as a next generation communication technology has potential usecases in several economic and societal verticals beyond voice and data. DoT has formed an Inter-ministerial committee led by Member (Technology) for engagement with 14 Central Ministries and Departments under the guidance of Secretary (Telecom) giving thrust for 5G applications and solutions. A White paper on 5G Usecases has been sent to respective Ministries for wider dissemination containing details of usecases developed from Indian industry, relevant Centres of Excellence and DoT’s partnership in enabling access to 5G testbed.