Hyderabad: A 10-days training programme on big data analytics in agriculture was organized at Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), Hyderabad during 13-22 June 2016.
This programme was sponsored by Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India wherein forty participants including scientists, business managers, professionals, young entrepreneurs and students from different parts of the country have taken part. The programme was intended to train the participants in Big Data Analytics with applications in agriculture.
In agriculture, big data analytics is futuristic and offers tremendous potential. Huge quantum of agricultural data in the form of soil health records, geospatial maps, weather information, production and yield records, market data, experimental data, survey data, etc. are being generated continuously. The data thus generated are gradually increasing to unmanageable proportion challenging the capacity and computing abilities of the present system. Big data framework can be effectively utilized to capture, store, process and analyze huge voluminous and streaming data.
In big data analytics, the data are processed in cluster mode and advanced big data computing techniques can be employed for providing customized services to different stakeholders in agriculture. The valedictory function was held on June 22, 2016 with Prof D Janakiram, Head, Dept. of Computer Science, IIT, Chennai as the chief guest. He reiterated that Indian Agricultural Research System should adopt big data analytics to generate precise predictions which helps in providing holistic solutions to agricultural problem and useful advisories to the farmers.
The Joint Director, Dr R Kalpana Sastry mentioned that the Academy took lead in Big Data Analytics in Agriculture in the country which will benefit in strengthening agriculture research system. The Director, Dr D Rama Rao congratulated the Programme Directors Dr S Ravichandran and Dr N Sivaramane for successful completion of the programme. The coordinators acknowledged the support given by Dr K R Murali Mohan, Head, Big Data Initiatives, DST, New Delhi.
