The Government promotes use of new technology in Agricultural Research. The Research by ICAR focuses genetic enhancement crops/livestock/fish for high yield, quality and climate resilience, conservation of resources and, development of intelligent IT enabled platform for technology transfer among farmers and stakeholders. ICAR during 2021-22 developed and released 309 varieties/ hybrids of field crops including 35 varieties with special traits and 94 varieties of Horticultural crops for cultivation by ICAR.
Government, during 2020-21 and 2021-22, has allocated funds to the tune of Rs 1756.3 and Rs. 2422.7 crores to the States for introducing new technologies including drones, artificial intelligence, block chain, remote sensing and GIS etc in agriculture. Further, the Government also allocated Rs. 7302.50 and Rs. 7908.18 crores in 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively to ICAR for undertaking Research and Development in Agriculture for developing new technologies, their demonstration at farmer’s field and capacity building of farmers for adoption of new technology.
The Government has accorded due focus on ensuring improved service delivery and facilitating market access to farmers. The Government also accords adequate emphasis towards reducing transaction costs, promotion of FPOs to improve their bargaining power. Development of infrastructure have also been given due attention to ensure better connectivity of farmers to national and international market.
High-yielding, cost-saving, disease/pest resistant and climate-resilient varieties and technologies in crops, horticulture, animal and fisheries science developed besides precision farm equipment for production and post production agriculture developed by ICAR have played important role in increasing production and productivity, reducing cost of production and enhancing income of the farmers. Adoption of Farming Systems Models developed by ICAR have also enabled farmers to enhance their income and strengthen their economic condition. Besides, State specific strategies for increasing farmers income, provided to States by ICAR, are also helping farmers to increase their incomes.
National Agricultural Research System comprising of a total of 102 Research Institutions, 63 State Agricultural Universities, 3 Central Agricultural Universities and 4 Universities having agriculture faculty besides 82 All India Coordinated Research Projects/Network Projects, each having a large number of coordinating centres across the nation, is amongst the largest and strongest research systems of the World. As adequate number of research centres are existing in the country, no new research centres was established during the last three years by the Government.
Due emphasis is given by ICAR to shift research from a commodity-based to farming systems based approach. ICAR has created multidisciplinary research complexes in different regions of the country to address this. A dedicated Institute “ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research (IIFSR), Modipuram” is working on characterizing, creating, studying and refining the farming system models in all the agro-climatic regions. Another institute, ICAR – Mahatma Gandhi Integrated Farming Research Institute has been established to facilitate and promote coordination and dissemination of the technology for integrated farming through network/consortia approach. Sixty-three Region Specific Integrated Farming System models developed by ICAR are demonstrated through the network of research Institutes and KrishiVigyanKendras all over the country.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
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