The Department of Farm Structures was established in the year 1982. The Department is having pioneer teaching and research facilities. The department is having four laboratories with equipments and instruments for carrying out practical and research work of UG/ PG students. The list of laboratories are as follow.
- Material Testing laboratory
- Engineering Mechanics laboratory
- Structural Engineering laboratory
- Greenhouse laboratory
The research work on advanced greenhouse/shade-net house structures, hydroponics structure, eco-friendly dairy barn structures , low cost housing materials is being conducted. The farmers are facing a lot of problems in their traditional farming due to climate change .For diversification from their traditional farming is the today’s needs. There is a dire need to train the agricultural graduates to design and develop eco-friendly structures for the farmers. The department has started M. Tech in “Agricultural Structures and Environmental Management” from 2015 with intake capacity five.
The Farm Structures Department is actively involved in the teaching, research and extension activities of the University. Farm Structures Department has a key role in delivering the reliable and affordable solutions to the farming community. The hi-tech agricultural structures of protected cultivation deserves serious consideration, especially for achieving the goal of doubling farmers income. In the hi-tech agricultural structures of protected cultivation, the environment condition, temperature, humidity and light during plant growth are controlled partially or fully. Controlled environment agriculture (CEA)/greenhouse vegetable production is one of the most exacting and intense forms of all agricultural enterprises. In combination with greenhouses, hydroponics or soilless cultivation is becoming increasingly popular. Protected cultivation technologies are gaining momentum all over the world.
The Farm Structures Engineering Department have a strong track record in protected cultivation structures and storage structures. The Farm Structures Engineering Department of the University is having expertise in developing sensor based IoT in protected structures. The department is involved in design and erection of agricultural structures and as per climate change scenario since last 25 years and the Head of the Department is acting as expert member at state level for finalizing the design of various protected structures such as shade-net house, polyhouse, hydroponic structures for leafy greens, hydroponic structures for green fodder. The commendable work has been done by the department through development of protected structures, storage structures and animal shed structures. In addition, the Farm Structures Engineering Department is running Post Graduate Degree Programme in Agriculture Structures and Environment Management (ASEM) since 2014.
Continuous efforts are being taken by Farm Structures Engineering Department for the development of region specific agriculture structures including protected Structures such as hydroponic/aeroponic/shadenet house/polyhouse, storage structures, animal housing structures and handling systems using plastics. The focus is to develop efficient, sustainable and innovative farm structures that enhance productivity while conserving resources.
- To generate the human resource for Agricultural Structures and related industries and organizations through Under Graduate and Post Graduate Degree Programme.
- Development of region specific agriculture structures including protected Structures such as hydroponic/aeroponic/shadenet house/polyhouse, storage structures, animal housing structures and handling systems using plastics.
- Development of region specific protected cultivation structures using plastics in light of climate and cultivation pattern changes in the region/country.
- Development of transport and packaging system using plastics for perishable food commodities.
- Erection of low cost canteen structure
- Development of eco-friendly and low cost technologies
- Development of sensor-based technologies
- Conducted National Level Training Program sponsored by Ministry of Farmers Welfare, New Delhi
- Expertise in protected cultivation structures
- State Level and National Level awards for paper presentations in conferences
- Awards in State level agriculture exhibitions
- K G Joshi and R K Malhotra award for outstanding research in the discipline of Agricultural Engineering
- MoUs of FS developed technologies with authorized manufacturers
Infrastructure Facilities
To achieve the accuracy and precision in research, Department of Farm Structures has established well equipped laboratories with advance and sophisticated instruments. The Department of Farm Structures was established in the year 1982. The Department is having pioneer teaching and research facilities. The department is having four laboratories with equipments and instruments for carrying out practical and research work of UG/ PG students.
The research work on advanced greenhouse/shade-net house structures, hydroponics structure, echo friendly dairy barn structures, low cost housing materials is being conducted. The farmers are facing a lot of problems in their traditional farming due to climate change. For diversification from their traditional farming is the todays needs. There is a dire need to train the agricultural graduates to design and develop eco-friendly structures for the farmers. The department has started M. Tech in “Agricultural Structures and Environmental Management” from 2015 with intake capacity of five students.
Laboratories at Deptt. of Farm Structures
| Material Testing Laboratory | 12.0 x 10.0 m |
| Structural Engineering Laboratory | 10.0 x 9.0 m |
| Engineering Mechanics laboratory | 10.0 x 10.0 m |
| Instructional Farm | 120.0 x 100.0 m |
Farm Infrastructure
The research farm of this department consist of protected cultivation structures and storage structures. The major components of the farm are
- Shade-net houses (100 sq m, 40 sq m, 40 sq m)
- Poly-houses/Hydroponic Structure (Fan and Pad Cooling) (500 sq m)
- Insect Net Houses
- hydroponic structure for green fodder production
- Hydroponic structure for leafy vegetables
- Hydroponic structure with Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
- Low cost onion storage structure (1.5 t)
- Ventilated onion storage structure (10 t)
- Vermi-compost unit
