Source: www.fibre2fashion.com
The Ministry of Textiles, in collaboration with the Synthetic & Art Silk Mills’ Research Association (SASMIRA), has launched a climate smart agro-textile demonstration centre in Navsari, Gujarat, in the presence of CR Patil, minister of Jal Shakti, government of India.
This demonstration centre represents a significant step forward in promoting the adoption of agro-textiles as transformative solutions for India’s agricultural sector. These are designed to educate and empower farmers, feature live demonstrations of agro-textile products, their applications, and practical training modules to help integrate these innovations into daily farming practices.
Spread across 15,000 square metres, the centre will be maintained by SASMIRA for three years, covering eight crop cycles. The facility includes live applications of agro-textile technologies such as shade nets (par-perfect, photo-selective, and vertical farming applications), medicinal nurseries, vermicomposting under shade nets, ground covers (natural and HDPE), pond liners and crop covers, the ministry said in a press release.
This initiative aligns with the ministry’s vision of promoting technical textiles under the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) and advancing India’s agriculture sector towards sustainable and innovative solutions. The demonstration centre is equipped with IoT-based monitoring systems to track real-time conditions, crop yield, and growth performance. Additionally, the centre will host approved seminars at regular intervals to educate farmers and stakeholders.
