Digital agriculture book ‘The Farmer’s Databank’ launched at PAU Ludhiana
English-language book outlines a data-driven vision for future farming, showing how digital tools can boost productivity, sustainability, and farmers’ income
PTC Web Desk: Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, on Thursday witnessed the launch of an internationally published book focusing on the digital transformation of agriculture. Titled “The Farmer’s Databank: A Comprehensive Guide to Agriculture Informatics,” the book has been authored by researcher Jastinder Kaur and academician Dr Raj Sinha, and released by PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal.
The English-language publication presents a data-driven roadmap for the future of farming and highlights how digital tools can enhance productivity, sustainability, and farmers’ incomes. Senior university officials, agricultural scientists, IT professionals, and policymakers attended the release ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Puneet Jindal, Head of the Department of Computer Applications at Ludhiana College of Engineering and Technology (LCET), Katani Kalan, said the book marks Jastinder Kaur’s debut in international academic publishing. She is currently a research scholar at the Department of Computer Science, Jyoti Vidyapeeth Women’s University, Jaipur, and also serves as an Assistant Professor at LCET. The co-author, Dr Raj Sinha, is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of IT and Computer Science at Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat.
Releasing the book, Dr Satbir Singh Gosal said modern agriculture must treat data as a critical resource, much like seeds, water, and soil. He noted that the publication effectively explains how data analytics and digital technologies can shape the future of farming.
Tarseem Singh Dhillon, Additional Director of PAU Extension Education, highlighted that the book’s opening chapters clearly explain the concept and importance of precision agriculture for farmers.
Dr Mahesh Kumar, Assistant Director of Research (Agricultural Engineering), said the book provides valuable insights into crop yield and market price forecasting, tools that can help improve farm profitability.
According to Dr OP Gupta, Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, such academic work can assist governments in designing more farmer-centric policies.
Dr JM Singh, Head of the Department of Economics and Sociology, observed that the book demonstrates how even smartphones can serve as powerful agricultural tools. He added that it functions both as a comprehensive syllabus for students and a practical guide for farmers.
Punjabi poet Amandeep Dardi, while expressing gratitude to the PAU leadership and scholars, noted that the book has been published by Lambert Academic Publishing, Germany, a globally recognised academic publisher. He added that the book is available in over 80,000 bookstores worldwide and on more than 3,000 online platforms.