The School of Agriculture at Lovely Professional University (LPU) hosted the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Agriculture for Food and Nutritional Security (SSAFNS 2025). Over two days, the conference brought together a network of experts, scholars, researchers, and industry professionals from India and across the world, each united by a shared mission: reimagining agriculture for a food-secure and climate-resilient future.
The senior delegation including, Dr. Ashok Kumar Mittal, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Founder Chancellor of LPU, Col. Dr. Rashmi Mittal, Pro-Chancellor of LPU, Dr. Jaspal Singh Sandhu, Vice-Chancellor of LPU and Dr. Loviraj Gupta, Vice Pro Chancellor of LPU, released the official Abstract Book of the conference. Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor also felicitated the dignitaries and eminent delegates.
Dr. Pardeep Kumar Chhuneja, General Chair of the Conference and Dean of the School of Agriculture shared that the conference witnessed remarkable academic engagement, drawing 250+ delegates, 100+ oral presentations, and 150+ poster presentations across diverse research tracks. The participants from eminent universities, national research institutes, global organizations, and leading agritech companies presented their work on climate-smart farming, plant and soil health, precision technologies, digital agronomy, and the next-generation systems that will define sustainable food production.
The conference featured an impressive lineup of national and international speakers who delivered deeply insightful, forward-looking sessions. Dr. Abhilash Chandel of Virginia Tech, USA, captivated the audience by presenting the blueprint of a fully integrated, data-driven agricultural ecosystem.
He demonstrated how IoT-enabled sensors, drone-based mapping, satellite monitoring, edge computing, cloud analytics, and blockchain can together form a continuous adaptive data loop that empowers farmers with real-time decision-making. Dr. Nozomi Kawarazuka from CGIAR, Vietnam, spoke on gender and plant health, presenting strong global evidence highlighting women farmers’ often overlooked expertise in pest and disease management.
She stressed the urgent need to design gender-responsive digital tools, more inclusive extension frameworks, and equitable plant-health interventions that recognize and elevate women’s extensive contributions to agricultural resilience. Dr. Gaurav Jha from Kansas State University, USA, offered an in-depth exploration of digital agronomy as a pathway to water resilience. His talk connected the soil–water–crop–aquifer continuum with cutting-edge technologies such as hyperspectral imaging, thermal drone assessments, satellite-based analytics, and integrated sensor–drone systems.
The conference also hosted insightful sessions by eminent figures such as Dr. Neeraj Kumar Awasthi from Anglo American, Mr. Avtar Singh, a celebrated innovative and progressive farmer, Dr. Gurumurthy S. from ICAR–IARI, and Mr. Kamal Kumar, Advisor at Dhanuka Agritech Ltd. Their contributions enriched the event with industry perspectives, field realities, and policy-aligned strategies.
The presence of Dr. Ashok Kumar Devgan, Member of the Board of the Management of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), and the Former Dean and DEE at the PAU, as the Guest of Honour further added academic depth and institutional wisdom to the proceedings. He emphasized on the use of precision techniques, artificial intelligence (AI), IoT, robotics and automation in the development of machinery and equipments for various farm operations, and also on the processing and value addition of agricultural produce and adoption of cost effective renewable energy sources in farming.
Celebrating the research excellence showcased throughout the conference, LPU presented awards for Best Oral and Best Poster presentations, recognizing outstanding scientific contributions. As the world looks toward smarter, more sustainable ways to nourish growing populations, the discussions and outcomes from this global gathering reiterated LPU’s role as a leading institution shaping the future of agricultural science, innovation, and food security.