Bhutan team visits Agri Engineering College

GANGTOK, 09 June: A twelve-member team headed by DNR-RDC (PRO), Govt. of Bhutan, Sengay Phub, and Dy. Project Manager, ATMA, FS&ADD, Govt. of Sikkim, Dr. Narendra K Gautam, visited the College of Agricultural Engineering and Post Harvest Technology (Central Agricultural University), Ranipool, Gangtok on 08 June, informs a press release.
With a brief welcome by I/c Dean, Dr. PC Senapati, apprised the delegates about the teaching research and extension education activities of the college. The faculty members introduced themselves with their areas of specialization.

Head of the Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Dr. SK Rautaray, briefed the visitors on research and development programmes at the college covering the Intramural Research Projects (IRPs), All India Co-ordinated Research Projects (AICRPs) on APA, ESA, FIM, PHT, RES and UAE and Value chain on Aromatic Crops under National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP), the release informs.
It was impressed upon, that considering the site specific limitations, engineering interventions have been taken up to develop improved equipment and technology for mechanization of hill agriculture including soil and water engineering, post harvest engineering and technology and renewable energy gadgets to be energy efficient and cost effective. The basic approach is to equip the human, animal, mechanical and electrical power sources and renewable energy gadgets to enhance the output per unit, the release adds.
The delegates visited different laboratories, workshop, research projects, experimental farm, library, computer laboratory and agricultural technology information centre (ATIC). The visit resulted in many fruitful interactions and discussions.
The feed back from the visitors convey that agricultural practices in Bhutan closely relate to the practices followed in Sikkim and it therefore indicated the possibility of linking up research and development and extension education programmes which could be useful in the sharing and exchange of knowledge and information, the release further informs.