Telangana Agriculture Minister Inaugurates Seed Festival, Emphasises Technology Adoption for Farmers

Hyderabad — Telangana's Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao opened the Seed Festival-2026 at Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) in Rajendranagar on Saturday, calling on farmers to prioritise cultivating crops with strong market prospects.

The event was held as part of the 99-day Praja Palana-Pragathi Pranalika initiative. During his visit, the Minister toured the Centre for Digital Agriculture and Technology, which was established on campus last year. Scientists briefed him on ongoing research into drone applications in farming, emphasising their potential to address labour shortages in the agricultural sector.

Acknowledging the university's work in developing drone-based farming solutions adapted to current agricultural challenges, the Minister underscored the importance of wider adoption of such technologies. He subsequently visited the robotics and sensor-based laboratory, which was recently established using SBI-CSR funds.

University officials informed the Minister that multiple robots designed for agricultural use have already been developed. He also reviewed the RS&GIS laboratory under the Centre for Digital Agriculture and Technology, examining satellite-based data recently submitted to the state government. According to officials, approximately 9.3 per cent of farmland in Telangana currently remains uncultivated.

Following the formal launch of the seed distribution programme, the Minister handed over quality foundation seeds of various crops to ten farmers. He stressed that the university's direct supply of certified seeds to farmers was a significant contribution to the agricultural community. The Minister cautioned farmers against unsubstantiated marketing claims from certain seed companies, recommending instead the use of certified seeds to lower production costs and enhance yields.

The Minister also encouraged farmers to implement crop rotation methods and select crops with better commercial value. He noted that PJTSAU, founded six decades ago with backing from prominent national leaders including former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, has established itself as a leading agricultural institution in the country. He expressed optimism about the university's continued growth under the support of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.

Addressing the scientific community, the Minister instructed PJTSAU to make cutting-edge global agricultural technologies available to farming communities and to collaborate closely with farmers to develop practical solutions for field-related challenges.

Vice-Chancellor Aldas Janaiah explained that the seed distribution initiative, launched the previous year, aims to guarantee farmers access to quality seeds essential for successful cultivation. The event was attended by Research Director Dr Maruthi Balaram, Dr Balaji Naik, Dr Neelima, Dr Venkateshwarlu, Dr Jella Satyanarayana, Dr Y. Chandramohan, along with scientists and farmers.