Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the development of two genome-edited rice varieties, in India, at Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium, NASC Complex, New Delhi. This marks a new beginning in the field of scientific research and innovation. A large number of scientists and farmers attended the event.
Addressing the gathering, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, India’s vision for a developed nation is being realized, and farmers are moving towards prosperity. Today’s achievement will be written in golden letters. During the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Prime Minister Modi had called upon farmers to adopt modern techniques to overcome agricultural challenges. Inspired by his words, ICAR scientists have made exceptional achievements in the field of agriculture with the creation of these new varieties.
He further said that the development of these new crops will not only enhance production but will also yield positive results in environmental terms. It will save irrigation water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby lowering environmental pressure. This is a classic example of getting both benefits – increased production and environmental conservation.
Chouhan emphasized that in the coming times, there is a need for ensuring food security, increasing nutritious production, and providing food for both India and the world, while making India the food basket of the world. He stated, We are proud that our efforts have led to the export of 48,000 crore worth of Basmati rice annually. The Minister also urged the need to take further steps to increase production of soybean, arhar, tur, lentils, urad, oilseeds, and pulses.
Chouhan also introduced the Minus 5 and Plus 10 formula, explaining that it involves reducing the area of rice cultivation by 5 million hectares while increasing rice production by 10 million tons in the same area. This would free up space for the cultivation of pulses and oilseeds.
He urged the farmers, especially the young farmers, to adopt advanced farming techniques. Chouhan said, We need to take agricultural research to the farmers. When agricultural scientists and farmers come together, miracles will happen.
Bhagirath Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, virtually congratulated the scientists. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, DA&FW, MoEF&CC, highlighted that the new varieties announced by ICAR today could be a game-changer for Indian agriculture.
Dr. M.L Jat, Secretary (DARE) and Director General (ICAR), emphasized the importance of demand-driven research, highlighting the need to gather feedback from farmers about their specific requirements. This approach will ensure that research outcomes are tailored to meet the needs of farmers and effectively reach them with the right solutions.
On this occasion, the Minister honored the scientists who contributed to the research of the two varieties. Dr. Vishwanathan C, Dr. Gopal Krishnan S, Dr. Santosh Kumar, Dr. Shivani Nagar, Dr. Archana Vats, Dr. Soham Ray, Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh and Dr. Pranjal Yadav, were honored for their work on Pusa DST Rice 1. Dr. Satyendra Kumar Mangruthia, Dr. R.M. Sundaram, Dr. R. Abdul Fiyaz, Dr. C.N. Neerja, and Dr. S.V. Sai Prasad were honored for their contribution to the development of of DRR Rice 100 (Kamla).
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Dr. Devendra Kumar Yadava, Deputy Director General, (Crop Science) ICAR, Dr. R.M. Sundaram, Director, ICAR-Indian Rice Research Institute, Hyderabad, Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh, Former Director, ICAR, and Dr. C.H. Srinivas Rao, Director, ICAR-IARI also addressed the event.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
