‘ICAR has released two thousand crop varieties in eight years’

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has released a total of 2122 crop varieties of food crops, oil seeds, pulses, commercial crops, horticultural crops, potential crops and fodder crops during a short span of last eight years (2014-2022). Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar has shared this information in parliament.

Crop varieties released by ICAR have stabilized the production and increased the productivity and production of food grains in India. ‘ICAR, an apex body for coordinating, guiding, and managing research and education in agriculture in the country, has taken several initiatives for the development of new technologies in the farm sector, such as genetic enhancement of plants, animals and fishes for higher productivity,’ said the minister.

The council has also contributed through mechanization of farm sector resulting in enhanced value, safety, and income of the farmers. The new technologies significantly enhanced the production of food grains, fruits, vegetables, milk, meat, egg and fish; and addressed the farmers’ specific needs despite the limitation of land resources, weather uncertainties, and virulent pest and pathogen attacks. The agricultural technologies have helped increase the production of cereals, pulses, oilseeds, sugarcane and milk from 234.87, 17.15, 275.11, 3623.33, 146.31 million tonnes, in 2014-15, to 288.03, 27.69, 376.96, 4318.12 and 209.96 million tonnes, in 2021-22, respectively.

Egg production has increased from 78.48 billion in 2014-15 to 129.53 billion in 2021-22. Further, the strong collaboration of ICAR with government and non-governmental agencies, academic and scientific institutions, industry, and farmers has helped Indian agriculture sustain natural resources, improve food supply and dietary nutrition profile, and make it more efficient and competitive, globally.

Narendra Singh Tomar informed that the ICAR has 103 research institutes, including four deemed universities, which undertake teaching, research and extension activities. ICAR also has a strong collaboration with the State Agricultural Universities (SAU) through 74 All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRP) and Network Projects for testing the technologies developed by ICAR institutes/centers.

There are 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) established at district-level by ICAR to refine the technological interventions suited to various agro-climatic conditions, minister informed. (India Science Wire)