ICAR-IISR, Indore Collaborates in High Performance Computing (HPC) Workshop
From July 14 to July 16, 2021, a virtual workshop titled “High Performance Computing (HPC) in the Agriculture Domain” was conducted, showcasing the collaboration between various esteemed institutions. This event was hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indore; the ICAR-Indian Institute of Soybean Research (IISR), Indore, Madhya Pradesh; and Mahindra University, Hyderabad. The workshop was organized in partnership with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune; the Indian Institute of Science (IISC), Bengaluru; and IIT, Kharagpur, West Bengal.
Purpose and Objectives of the Workshop
The workshop aimed to bring together researchers, engineers, industry experts, students, and practitioners to discuss the latest advancements in HPC technologies developed under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM). It focused on the applications of HPC in the agricultural domain, which is increasingly vital due to the challenges posed by climate change, population growth, and limited resources.
Keynote Speakers and Their Insights
The workshop featured several prominent speakers who shared their insights on the role of HPC in agriculture:
- Prof. D.B. Phatak, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT Indore, emphasized the significance of crop and oil production in enhancing the GDP of the country.
- Prof. V.K. Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur, discussed the global perspective on agriculture, stressing the need for innovations to attract more people to the agricultural sector amidst land shrinkage.
- Prof. Rajat Moona, Director, IIT Bhilai, highlighted the importance of HPC in addressing unstable agricultural and weather conditions, as well as resource limitations.
- Prof. Srikanth Sastry, from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, provided an overview of the objectives of the NSM in various research domains across the country.
- Dr. Anil Rai, ADG (ICT), ICAR, presented the supercomputing facility known as ASOKA at ICAR-IASRI, New Delhi, which is designed for large-scale data storage and analysis in agriculture.
- Prof. N.K. Jain, Director, IIT Indore, discussed the integration of HPC into the regular curriculum and its usefulness across various domains.
- Dr. Nita Khandekar, Director, ICAR-IISR, Indore, outlined the various applications of HPC in agriculture, including Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems, Precision Agriculture, Decision Support Systems, Information Systems, Data Mining, Biotechnology, and Bioinformatics.
Participation and Engagement
The workshop attracted over 2,000 participants, reflecting a strong interest in the intersection of technology and agriculture. This engagement underscores the growing recognition of HPC as a critical tool for enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability.
Conclusion
The collaboration between ICAR-IISR, IIT Indore, Mahindra University, and other institutions in hosting the HPC workshop represents a significant step towards integrating advanced computing technologies in agriculture. As the agricultural sector faces numerous challenges, the insights and innovations shared during this workshop will play a crucial role in shaping the future of agricultural practices in India.
Note: The information presented in this article is based on the workshop held from July 14 to July 16, 2021, and aims to highlight the importance of High Performance Computing in the agricultural domain.
