Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan visited the ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (CIAE) in Bhopal on Sunday, June 22. While addressing scientists, students, and staff, the Minister praised the institute's contribution to agricultural innovation and emphasized the need for accelerated development and effective field-level delivery of technologies, particularly those tailored for smallholder farmers.
During his visit, Chouhan reviewed recent initiatives and underlined the importance of identifying region-specific mechanization needs through ICAR’s All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRPs). He called for a ten-year roadmap under the Viksit Bharat Abhiyan to ensure significant advancements in agricultural engineering and inclusive access to modern technologies.
The Minister stressed the development of compact, alternative energy-powered machinery and sensor-based systems to promote broader adoption among farmers. He also proposed organizing Farmer Fairs in different regions and conducting brainstorming sessions with stakeholders to formulate a comprehensive national mechanization strategy. Additionally, he emphasized the need to strengthen efforts in food safety, soil health management, and the rapid transfer of agri-tech innovations from lab to land.
A key highlight of the visit was the live demonstration of CIAE’s latest innovation: a tractor-operated plastic mulch layer-cum-planter. This machine significantly reduces labour and operational costs by automating the intensive tasks of raised bed formation, drip lateral and plastic mulch laying, and seed planting. Traditionally requiring 29 man-days per hectare, the new technology brings this down to just 3 man-days, saving approximately Rs 6,600 per hectare in operational costs.
Powered by the tractor’s hydraulic system and a vacuum seed metering mechanism, the equipment offers a field efficiency of 74% and covers 0.2 hectares per hour. Priced at Rs 3 lakh, it has an estimated payback period of just under two years and is ideal for planting high-value crops like cucumber, melons, okra, and sweet corn, making it a cost-effective solution for modern farming.
Senior ICAR officials, including Dr. M.L. Jat, Secretary (DARE) & Director General, ICAR; Dr. S.N. Jha, Deputy Director General (Engineering); Dr. A.K. Nayak, DDG (Extension); Dr. C.R. Mehta, Director, ICAR-CIAE; and Dr. M. Mohanty, Director, ICAR-IISS, Bhopal, were also present at the event.
