The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has adopted multi-pronged steps to address the challenges created by climate change and these steps, based on technology, will help farmers and governments build resilience, said its Director-General Himanshu Pathak.
Talking to reporters in New Delhi on July 17 on the 95th Foundation and Technology Day of ICAR, Dr. Pathak said 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras provide advisory and technical know-how to farmers for faster spread of new technologies in the sector. He added that the steps are not just limited to agriculture, but can be used in horticulture, natural resource management, animal husbandry and fisheries too.
He said the Centre has taken efforts to bring more attention to agriculture education and make ICAR function as a global university to impart quality education in agriculture. “This will help in creation of human resource in agriculture with par excellence capabilities,” he added. The ICAR, he said, has always appreciated technology developers in the area of production system, plant protection, horticulture, engineering and education. “Efforts are made for capacity building of farmers for large-scale adoption of technologies for increasing production, productivity and quality of agricultural produce and further attaining income security,” he said.
He said ICAR has developed several new varieties of seeds of paddy which would be given to neighbouring countries such Nepal and Bangladesh under the proposed “Seeds Without Border” programme. “ICAR institutes have helped in strengthening the agriculture education system in Myanmar and Afghanistan. According to the changing circumstances, India is working at the international level to address the kind of changes taking place in the agriculture sector,” he said.
