The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare has launched the Krishi Megh (National Agricultural Research & Education System-Cloud Infrastructure and Services). Launched by ICAR, Krishi Megh integrates the ICAR-Data Centre at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi with the Disaster Recovery Centre at the ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad.
Krishi Megh
The main features of the Krishi Megh are that it is equipped with the latest AI / Deep learning software / tools kits for building and deploying of deep learning based applications through image analysis, disease identification in livestock, etc. Krishi Megh is a new chapter in digital India enabling the farmers, researchers, students and policy makers more equipped with updated and latest information regarding agriculture, research, education and extension in digital form generated by ICAR institutes and State Agriculture Universities.
Features of Krishi Megh
- For meeting the services and infrastructure needs of digital agriculture of National Agricultural Research and Education System (NARES), the existing data centre (ICAR-DC) built during 2012 shall be strengthened with cloud computing infrastructure.
- NARES-Cloud Infrastructure and Services with its constituents ICAR-DC and ICAR-Krish Megh provide a robust and dynamic platform to meet the growing IT needs of the NARES system with the deployment of mission critical applications such as e-Office, ICAR-ERP, Education Portal, KVK Portal and mobile apps, ICAR institute websites, Academic Management System, Alumni Portal, e-Courses of UG and PG level etc.
- Under NAHEP, the out-reach of existing ICAR data centers is broadened to cover the Agriculture Universities enabling them to host their websites and IT solutions.
- In the present COVID-19 situation, 24×7 availability of IT applications has made it possible to work from home as well as to collaborate with fellow scientists through video conferencing.
- ICAR-Krishi Megh at NAARM Hyderabad is synchronized with ICAR data center at ICAR-IASR and it has been built to mitigate the risk, enhance the quality, availability and accessibility of e-governance, research, extension and education in the field of agriculture in India.
- NAARM, Hyderabad has been chosen as it lies in a different seismic zone w.r.t. ICAR data center at ICAR-IASRI. Hyderabad is also suitable as skilled IT manpower is available along with other suitable climatic conditions such as low humidity level which is controllable in the data center environment.
- This new centre has latest AI/ Deep learning software/ tools kits for building and deploying of deep learning based applications such as disease and pest identification using image analysis, detection of maturity and ripening of fruits through image analysis, disease identification in livestock etc.
