Honble VC Prof. Indra Mani delivers keynote address at International Conference in Nepal

Prof. Indra Mani, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth (VNMKV), Parbhani, delivered a keynote address at the International Conference 2026 on “Agricultural Engineering and Climate-Smart Agriculture”, held during 5–6 February 2026 at Kathmandu, Nepal. The international conference was organized by the Nepalese Society of Agricultural Engineers (NSAE), Nepal, in collaboration with iDE, and witnessed participation from eminent scientists, academicians, researchers, and industry experts from Asian countries.

Prof. Indra Mani delivered the keynote address on “Climate-Resilient Agriculture for Food Security”, wherein he highlighted the role of climate-resilient technologies, farm mechanization, and policy-driven innovations in addressing the challenges of climate change. He also highlighted the significant contributions of VNMKV, Parbhani, particularly in the development of climate-resilient crop varieties, agricultural machinery, and sustainable farming practices for dryland and semi-arid regions like Marathwada. During his address, Prof. Mani emphasized the importance of international collaboration, technology transfer, and capacity building to promote climate-smart agriculture, aligned with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

His participation and keynote address received wide appreciation from the international audience, strengthening academic and research collaboration between India and Nepal in the field of agricultural engineering and climate-resilient agriculture.

The event featured ten internationally recognized experts, including Prof. Dr. Indra Mani, Vice Chancellor of VNMKV, Mumbai; Dr. Syed Ismall, General Secretary of the Afro-Asian Association of Agricultural Engineers (AAAE); Dr. Menila Kharal, Nepal Country Director of iDE; and Dr. Laxmi Prasad Devkota, former member of Nepal’s National Planning Commission. Speakers emphasized the urgency of aligning engineering innovation with climate adaptation, policy support, and farmer-centric approaches.