Bureau of Indian Standards and Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology signs Memorandum of Understanding for Standardized Agriculture Demonstration Farm (SADF)

Bureau of Indian Standards and Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology signs Memorandum of Understanding for Standardized Agriculture Demonstration Farm (SADF)

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT) has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate the development of the first of its kind ‘Standardized Agriculture Demonstration Farm’ (SADF) in India.

The MoU was signed on July 24, 2024, in the presence of Dr. M. S. Chauhan, Vice-Chancellor, GBPUAT, and senior officials from the University, including Dr. Deepa Vinay, Registrar; Dr. Ajeet Kumar Nain, Director of Research; and Deans of various colleges of GBPUAT, along with Dr. S. B. Singh, BIS Chair at GBPUAT.

Shri Rajeev P, Deputy Director General (North), Shri Saurabh Tiwari, Director & Head, BIS Dehradun, and other senior officials of BIS attended the event. This MoU marks the first collaboration between BIS and an agricultural university in the country to develop SADFs.

While emphasising about the potential benefits of MoU, Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari, Director General, BIS, stated, “This partnership with GBPUAT is a major step forward. It will enhance agricultural practices by integrating Indian Standards, benefiting farmers and advancing agricultural innovation. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this partnership will have on the agricultural sector and the broader community.”

The primary objective of this MoU is to develop SADFs at GBPUAT in collaboration with BIS. These farms will serve as experimental sites for testing and implementing various agricultural practices and new technologies in accordance with Indian Standards. Regarding the fast pace development, it was informed that the Vice-Chancellor has instructed the concerned officials at GBPUAT to commence work on the project immediately and report the outcomes regularly, keeping BIS informed as per the defined periodicity.

This partnership with GBPUAT is a significant step towards promoting standardised agricultural practices and ensuring the implementation of cutting-edge technologies to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability.