Bhubaneswar: The College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (CAET) under the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) celebrated its Diamond Jubilee on Sunday, marking 60 years of contribution to agricultural mechanisation, technical education, research and farmer services in Odisha.
Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo inaugurated the year-long milestone celebration in the presence of Agriculture Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav and OUAT Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Prabhat Kumar Roul.
Established in 1966, CAET has played a significant role in advancing agricultural engineering through education, research and technological innovation. Its areas of focus include farm machinery, soil and water conservation, post-harvest processing, agricultural structures, civil and environmental engineering, irrigation and drainage, and renewable energy.
During the inaugural ceremony, the dignitaries unveiled a Diamond Jubilee memorial on the college campus and inaugurated a technology exhibition showcasing innovations in agricultural mechanisation, post-harvest processing, soil and water conservation, drones and other modern farming technologies. They also released a special souvenir titled Confluence, highlighting the institution’s history, achievements, research contributions and alumni experiences.
More than 1,000 alumni, students, faculty members, scientists, researchers, educationists and agricultural machinery manufacturers participated in the celebration. A seminar, alumni-student interaction sessions and cultural programmes formed part of the day’s events.
Addressing the gathering, Alumni Association president Engineer P.K. Mahapatra urged the state government to restructure the Agricultural Engineering Cadre and ensure the appointment and deployment of agricultural engineers at the block level in the Agriculture, Horticulture, Soil Conservation and Watershed Development departments.
He said strengthening the presence of agricultural engineers at the grassroots would improve the implementation of farm mechanisation schemes, facilitate the adoption of modern machinery, ensure better management of soil and water resources and provide technical support to farmers.
The Deputy Chief Minister and the departmental secretary assured that the government would accord priority to agricultural mechanisation and extend necessary support for strengthening the sector. They emphasised the need to develop affordable, low-cost and locally suitable farm machinery, particularly for small and marginal farmers, while promoting women-friendly equipment to reduce the drudgery of women engaged in agriculture.
The speakers also highlighted the growing importance of drone technology, sensor-based farming, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced agricultural machinery in improving productivity, reducing cultivation costs and increasing farmers’ income.
The Diamond Jubilee celebration also provided an opportunity to deliberate on future priorities, including stronger collaboration among educational institutions, research organisations, industries and farmers to accelerate technological development and its adoption in the field.
CAET aims to further strengthen research and innovation in agricultural mechanisation, irrigation and drainage, soil and water conservation, renewable energy, post-harvest processing, smart farming and digital agriculture, with particular emphasis on developing practical solutions for small and marginal farmers, women farmers and rural youth.
The six-decade milestone marks not only the institution’s achievements but also its renewed commitment to making agriculture more technologically advanced, profitable and climate-resilient.
