Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) to establish the ‘JFarm Adaptive Agriculture Research & Extension Centre’ at the ICRISAT campus in Hyderabad.
TAFE inaugurated JFarm in 1964 as a CSR initiative to empower farmers through research-driven solutions and training. With expansions in Bhawanimandi (2016), and through public–private partnerships, JFarm established the ‘JFarm and Product Training Centre’ with PJTSAU, Telangana (2019) and the ‘JFarm and Mechanisation Centre’ with VNMKV, Maharashtra (2023).
Taking this vision global, TAFE has partnered with ICRISAT under the Centre of Excellence for South–South Cooperation in Agriculture (ISSCA) to drive innovation exchange and agri-development across the Global South.
The JFarm Adaptive Research Centre at Hyderabad will leverage ICRISAT’s innovations, such as the machine-harvestable chickpea, with TAFE’s farm-mechanisation expertise to validate research across diverse ecologies and crops, while championing gender and social inclusion, a statement from TAFE said.
The centre will focus on educating farmers on sustainable agriculture practices, focusing on soil conservation and efficient water use through dedicated infrastructure. It will promote scale-appropriate mechanisation in agriculture, with special emphasis on crop-residue processing. It aims to encourage farmers toward agricultural service models and entrepreneurship and facilitate lab-to-land transfer of appropriate agro-technologies.
Additionally, the centre will act as a platform bringing together industry experts, start-ups, institutions, and farmers. Speaking about the event, Dr. T R Kesavan, Group President and a member of TAFE’s Board, said, “Our goal is to implement precision agriculture while safeguarding land and water resources. We have a deep understanding of the diverse needs of the farming community; we recognise and believe that knowledge-sharing is key to widespread adoption of mechanisation. With ICRISAT’s expertise, we are confident in effectively disseminating these advancements to the last-mile farmer.”
Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Director General of ICRISAT, added, “Mechanisation is pivotal in modern agriculture, and without progress in this area, we cannot achieve the goal of a Viksit Bharat (Developed India). This collaboration goes beyond just promoting mechanisation, it’s about advancing research to reduce chemical inputs, labour dependency, and environmental impact. Our vision extends beyond India; we aim to scale these innovations across Africa.”
