HYDERABAD: Sindh Agriculture University’s vice chancellor Dr Fatah Marri has said that IT’s integration in agriculture would not only enhance productivity but also create new opportunities, especially for women in agri-business and related fields.

He said at inauguration ceremony of an IT exhibition organised by the university’s Information Technology Centre in Tandojam on Tuesday that the role of IT across various sectors particularly agriculture was indispensable.

The exhibition was jointly inaugurated by the VC, Sindh information secretary Nadeemur Rehman Memon and provincial secretary for planning Asghar Ali Memon.

The exhibition showcased a diverse array of software, applications and models developed by final year students. Private companies based in Karachi and Hyderabad also participated in the event and offered internship and employment opportunities to the university’s IT graduates.

He said that extraordinarily rapid development in the world since 1991 can be attributed to the revolutionary impact of Artificial Intelligence.

Highlighting transformative potential of IT’s integration in agriculture, the VC predicted it would not only enhance productivity but create new opportunities, especially for women, in agri-business and related fields.

He underscored significance of software, models, and applications developed by university’s graduates, emphasizing their importance in meeting demands of agriculture-based and agri-tech industries.

The IT secretary highlighted significant progress made by IT sector, stating its vital role in the development of various sectors, including Information Technology, medical, agriculture, engineering, livestock, manufacturing, and marketing.

He said that “with the help of IT, agricultural products’ exports and access to global markets can increase Pakistan’s GDP.”

The planning secretary encouraged youth to start IT-based businesses, emphasising the need for focusing on IT-related projects. Importance of relationship between the industry and the academia in commercialising models and software had been showcased in the exhibition, he said.

Dean Dr Aijaz Ali Khooharo, Dr. Mir Sajjad Talpur, Dr Mohammad Ismail Khumbhar, Dr Mohammad Yaqoob Koondhar and others highlighted how IT had transformed global economic and business activities in recent decades.

They talked about promising development of rural women’s participation in education, IT, agricultural development and domestic industries in Sindh.

The event was attended by faculty, students and industry representatives, who showcased 38 projects encompassing a wide range of applications, including health, agriculture, monitoring systems, artificial intelligence, and more. Successful projects were awarded shields, signifying contribution to technological innovation and societal progress.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2024