Agri Drones- A smart way of transforming rural livelihoods

TNBRD conducted a three-day skill training program for rural youth on Agri Drones from December 8th to 10th, 2025 at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Thiruvannamalai. This initiative aimed to benefit farmers in the Thiruvannamalai district and was organized in collaboration with Hand in Hand India, NGO, Kanchipuram and EDLI, Chennai.

The program began with a welcome address by Mr. V. Suresh, Senior Scientist and Head, KVK. The inaugural function featured participation from Dr. Y. Joe, President of Hand in Hand NGO and Mr. Sandeep Mukherjee who welcomed the special guests and outlined the objectives and significance of the training. Mr. S. Ramesh, President, Tamil Nadu Rural Development, presided over the event and delivered a special address highlighting the crucial role of drones in creating employment opportunities for youth.

Mr. P. Chowthry, Programme Assistant, KVK provided comprehensive explanations and demonstrations on drone operation and effective handling including the application of pesticides and fertilizers on paddy crops. Practical training and demonstrations on drone operation were conducted by Mr. A. Maniraj, Sales Manager and Mr. M. Shahjahan, Drone Engineer, from Avionics Drone Company, Chennai. The training concluded with a valedictory function attended by Mr. Vijay M Neehar, NABARD, District Development Manager, Mr. Chandrasekhar, Mr. Sandha patil, Directors of Hand in Hand India, Mr. Selvakumar, Manager at Hand in Hand and also Subject Matter Specialists from KVK. A total of 31 youths from various villages in the Thiruvannamalai district participated in this training program and gained valuable insights. All trained youth received training certificates, inputs and handbooks.