IIT Bombay to establish rural data centre at SKUAST-K

Srinagar, Aug 7: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir held a day-long workshop and brainstorming for establishing the Centre of Excellence on Rural Data Research & Analysis (RuDRA) at Shalimar campus. The collaborative initiative with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay aims to leverage data-driven insights to transform agriculture and rural life in J&K.

The workshop was organised under the aegis of Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP).

The event brought together leading experts from the IIT Bombay, university officers, faculty members and government officials from line departments to discuss the role of data in shaping rural policy and development in J&K.

The collaboration between IIT Bombay and SKUAST-K, formalised through an MoU earlier this year, to establish the CoE RuDRA as a hub for promoting data-driven rural development. The centre will focus on a wide range of areas, including precision agriculture, climate change, soil health monitoring and water resource management. Beyond agriculture, its scope extends to critical aspects of rural life such as sanitation, public health, education and infrastructure.

The centre’s work is designed to directly support HADP with the goal of enhancing agricultural productivity, improving rural livelihoods and creating a skilled workforce. The partnership will facilitate joint research, workshops, training programs, faculty exchange and student internships, providing students and stakeholders with hands-on experience in data analytics, GIS and remote sensing technologies.

Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, who was the chief guest at the occasion, underscored the transformative potential of IIIT Bombay and SKUAST-K partnership and reiterated the university’s commitment to becoming a leader in innovation-driven agricultural research. He emphasised the need for a data-driven approach for rural policy planning and transformation and stressed integrating technology with traditional farming knowledge to improve farmer livelihoods.