OUAT, IIT Delhi join hands for research
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) Bhubaneswar has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi for education and research collaboration.
The collaboration will help generate frontier technologies and produce quality manpower in the field of agricultural research and education for addressing the challenges faced by the rural communities and improving their quality of life.
OUAT and IIT Delhi will work jointly in the field of sensor application in agriculture, precision farming, geospatial technology, nanotechnology, biotechnology and related aspects of agriculture leading to creation of rural livelihood opportunities.
Hrusikesh Patro, director (planning, monitoring and evaluation), OUAT, said both students and faculties will be benefited through exchange programmes and use of laboratories of both the organisations. “Students and scientists of our university can get a chance to conduct research in IIT Delhi laboratory. The IIT Delhi can also use our facilities,” he added.
The MoU was signed between OUAT vice-chancellor Pawan Kumar Agrawal and IIT Delhi director V Ramgopal Rao. Agrawal expected that this collaboration would create new avenues for interdisciplinary research with involvement of scientists from both the institutions.
A senior professor said the two institutions will hold student and faculty exchange programmes for education and research programmes. “We have the disciplines like agriculture, veterinary sciences, fisheries, forestry and agricultural engineering. The IIT Delhi has disciplines like biological sciences. Both the institutions are conducting various researches on these disciplines. We will exchange ideas and technical helps with each other and researchers will work jointly,” he added.
IIT Delhi’s twitter handle said, “OUAT Bhubaneswar signs MoU for strengthening research and education in cutting edge areas of agriculture and allied subjects.”
The national institute is working with multiple laboratories of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) on a variety of agricultural problems as a part of its resolve to strengthen the rural economy through technology interventions.