Indian Counsil for Agriculture

8/2/2019 Indian Counsil for Agriculture

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258 P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C E

Agriculture sector occupies the centrestage of Indias social security and

overall economic welfare. SinceIndependence, India has witnessedsignificant increase in foodgrain production (greenrevolution), oilseeds (yellow revolution), milk (white revolution), fish (blue revolution), and fruitsand vegetables (golden revolution). All these became possible owing to the application of cuttingedge of science coupled with the positive policysupport, and hard work of Indian farmers. TheIndian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), an

apex organization forconducting and co-ordinatingagricultural research, has been at the forefront to leadthese agricultural revolutionsin the country, making Indianot only self-sufficient in food but also with surplus. As aforward lookingorganization, fully realizingthe emerging complexchallenges, ICAR has set avision to attain RainbowRevolution covering theentire spectrum of activitiesin agriculture which willmake India a developednation free of poverty, hunger,malnutrition, and environ-

mental safety. Towards this goal, it is operating twoprestigious and mega projects, viz. National

Agricultural Technology Project with emphasis onproduction system research, organization andmanagement reforms and innovations intechnology dissemination and Agricultural HumanResource Development Project with emphasis onimproving the quality of agricultural education.

The ICAR began as the Imperial Council ofAgricultural Research, an autonomous body (aregistered society) in 1929. Presently the UnionMinister of Agriculture is the President of the ICAR

Society. The Director-General(DG) is the Principal Exe-cutive Officer and is also theSecretary to the Departmentof Agricultural Research andEducation (DARE). DARE isthe nodal department for allrelated scientific anddevelopment activities and bilateral scientific collab-orations with other countries.

The Council has itsHeadquarters at New Delhi,and a vast network ofinstitutes all over the country,consisting of 45 Institutes,four National Bureau, 30National Research Centres,ten Project Directorates and

INDIANCOUNCIL OFAGRICULTURALRESEARCH

SINCE INDEPENDENCE,INDIAHAS WITNESSEDSIGNIFICANT INCREASE INFOODGRAIN PRODUCTION(GREEN REVOLUTION),OILSEEDS (YELLOWREVOLUTION), MILK(WHITE REVOLUTION),FISH (BLUE REVOLUTION),AND FRUITS ANDVEGETABLES (GOLDENREVOLUTION).

C H A P T E R X X V I


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80 All India Coordinated Research Projects. Thefunctions of ICAR are similar to those of UniversityGrants Commission (UGC) in respect of agriculturaleducation. The technical functions of the Head-quarters are grouped into eight subject-matterdivisions, each headed by an eminent scientist asDeputy Director-General.

Under the aegis of the ICAR there are 28 stateagricultural universities, four deemed-to-be-universities and one central agricultural university,261Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs: farm clinics) in therural districts of the country for transfer oftechnology, and eight trainers training centres. Forstaff training and addressing research management

issues, it has established an institute for humanresource development called the National Academyof Agricultural Research Management (NAARM).

ICAR is one of the leading agricultural researchand development systems in the world, having30,000 personnel, with more than 7000 engaged inactive research and management.

T HE M ANDATE

The mandate of ICAR is:q To plan, undertake, aid, promote and coordinate

education, research and its application inagriculture, agroforestry, animal husbandry,fisheries, home science and allied sciences.

q To act as clearing house of research and generalinformation through publications andinformation system, and instituting andpromoting transfer of technology programmes.

q To provide, undertake and promote consultancyservices in the fields of education, research,training and dissemination of information.

q To look into problems relating to broader areasof rural development concerning agriculture,including post-harvest technology, bydeveloping cooperative programmes with otherorganizations such as the Indian Council ofSocial Sciences Research, Council of Scientificand Industrial Research, Bhabha AtomicResearch Centre and universities.

q To do other things considered necessary to attainthe objectives of ICAR.

C ROP S CIENCE D IVISION

The Crop Science Division has played a key role inushering in the era of Green and YellowRevolutions in the country. It is the largest Divisionof the Council with focus on the development ofimproved crop cultivars and appropriate crop pro-duction-protection technologies, and basic andstrategic researches in crop science. The Division hasten institutes, one bureau, five project directorates,seven national research centres and 30 all India co-ordinated research projects. In addition, a large number of ad-hoc research projects and revolvingschemes are also in operation.

A CHIEVEMENTS

q Over 2,300 high-yielding varities and hybrids offield crops have been developed, released andnotified for their commercial cultivation.

P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C E 259

Bajra Pennisetum typhoides.

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P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C E260

q First in the world to develop hybrid cultivars ofcotton, grain pearl millet, pigeonpea, castor andsafflower, and second to develop hybridcultivars of rice and sorghum. Hybrid cotton isa landmark achievement in hybrid research.

q The varieties of foodgrains, particularly that ofwheat and rice, have been instrumental inushering in the area of Green Revolution in mid-60s and sustaining the momentum ofproductivity enhancement in post-greenrevolution period.

q The improved varieties played a catalytic role inthe adoption of other components of improvedtechnology package, such as fertilizers,

pesticides, irrigation water and transforming themindset of farmers from conservative totechnology-responsive ones.

q Incorporation of resistance to diseases andtolerance to abiotic stresses in high yielding background have enabled insulation of cropplants against these stresses and thus providedstability in food production and food security.

q Development of short duration varieties of rice,sorghum, cotton, pigeonpea, chickpea,

greengram, blackgram etc. has opened upawareness for multiple cropping systems andhelped in enhancing cropping intensity.

q Developed/deployed the concept of new planttype in various crop plants particularly wheat,rice, maize, sorghum etc. to upgrade geneticceiling of yield potential.

q Spectacular success has been achieved inintroduction and improvement of new crops,such as soybean and sunflower. India is now thefifth largest producer of soybean in the world.

q Improved varieties of sugarcane, wheat, rice,maize, sorghum, groundnut, mustard etc.developed in India have been used forcommercial cultivation in many other countries.

q Developed new breeding methods, matingdesigns and analyses, and germplasm screeningtechniques for evaluation of resistance/toleranceto biotic and abiotic stresses.

q Developed experimental transgenics in cottonand rice by incorporating genes for insectresistance. Also developed protocols formicropropagation.

q The etiology, epidemology and the managementof major diseases/insects pests have beenworked out, facilitating the forecasting systemand in developing location-specific integratedpest management (IPM) modules for sustainablecrop production. Protocols have been developedfor mass multiplication and release of biocontrolagents.

q Adoption of IMP modules has helped inlowering the quantum of pesticide requirements

and promoting non-chemical eco-friendlyapproaches.q Established the National Gene Bank at the

National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources,New Delhi, one of the Worlds leading gene banks, for long-term storage of seed and otherplanting materials. About 0.20 million accessionshave been conserved.

q Steady increase in breeder seed productionresulting in enhanced supply of quality seeds to the

farmers. About 26,000 q. of breeder seed is beingproduced annually and supplied for production offoundation seed and in turn certified seed.

q Seed production technologies for various cropsrefined, particularly with reference to hybridseed production.

q Developed a unique concept of multi-disciplinary, multi-locational approach in cropimprovement in the form of All IndiaCoordinated Research projects which led tosynergistic cooperation for the development ofwidely adapted/location-specific cultivars andproduction technologies.

q Between 1950-51 and 1998-99, the production offoodgrains increased from 50.8 to 202.5 mt,oilseeds from 5.2 to 25.7 mt, cotton from 3.0 to12.8 mt and sugarcane from 5.2 to 290.7 mt. Theproductivity of wheat increased four times andthat of rice, maize and cotton three times.


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q Development and adoption of newvarieties of oilseeds and comple-mentary technologies doubled oilseedsproduction in a decade (12.6 mt during1987-88 to 24.4 mt during 1996-97),generally known as the YellowRevolution.

q Increased food production hastransformed the ship to mouth nationof early 1960s into a food secure onewith exportable surplus of certaincommodities.

q India has become the second largestproducer of wheat and rice and is also

amongst the top exporters of rice.H ORTICULTURE D IVISION

The Horticulture Division has nineresearch institutes, 11 national researchcentres and 15 coordinated research projects.

A CHIEVEMENTS

q India has emerged as the second largestproducer of fresh fruits and vegetables

in the world.q India is presently the largest exporter

of spices and cashew.q A total of 460 high-yielding varieties

and hybrids of horticultural crops have been developed. As a result, produc-tivity of banana and potato has goneup three-times each, and cassava two-times.

q Regular bearing mango hybrid, export qualitygrapes, multi-disease resistant vegetablehybrids, high value spices and tuber crops ofindustrial use have been developed.

q Substantial increase in production of bananaplantlets through tissue culture, use of dripirrigation, chemical regulation of mangoflowering and high-density orcharding in fruitcrops have been obtained.

q True potato seed (TPS) technology is

standardized.q Low cost environment-friendly cool chambers

for on-farm storage of fruits and vegetables have been developed.


Top: Breeding work in mustard is receiving top priorityBottom: India is the second largest producer of freshvegetables in the world. Vegetables are an important source of vitamins, minerals, fibre and anti-oxidantsin human diet

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A NIMAL S CIENCES D IVISION

The Division has seven research institutes, one bureau, two project directorates, six nationalresearch centres, and 11 coordinated research projects.

A CHIEVEMENTS

q A number of new genotypes in cattle KaranSwiss, Karan-Fries and Frieswal developed forincreased milk production. Murrah, Nili, Rav iand Surti buffaloes improved for milk production

q Three new high producing strains of sheep forfine wool, carpet wool and mutton evolved; anda strain of Mohair goat developed.

q Two hybrids of fast-growing poultry broilers andfour high producing layer strains developed andreleased.

q Various immuno-biologicals, vaccines, immuno-diagnostics, indigenous drugs and medicinesagainst various infectious and non-infectiousdiseases of livestock and poultry, developed.

q Monoclonals have been developed for thediagnosis of various diseases and reproductivedisorders.

q ELISA-based diagnostic tests for various

livestock and poultry diseases developed forprecise and rapid diagnosis. Effective diseasemonitoring and surveillance have resulted inreduced morbidity and mortality.

q Process, techniques and equipment for themanufacture of quality milk and dairy products

with reliable quality testing methods developed.q Methods of preparation of different recipes and

preservation of meat and eggs developed, andquality testing protocols for egg, meat and meatproducts standardized.

q Blending of camel hair and Angora rabbit woolwith other fibres and converting those into yarnsuitable for making finished goods achieved.

q Nutrient requirements of various categories oflivestock for different production functionsstudied and standards set up.

q Technologies for utilization of cereal straws,agro-byproducts, conventional and non-conven-tional feeds developed area-wise and region-wise.

q Artificial insemination and embryo transfertechnology used for improvement of nativegermplasm, and production and multiplicationof elite germplasm.


N ATIONAL B UREAU OF P LANT G ENETIC R ESOURCES

National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) was established in 1976 by ICAR, at PCampus, New Delhi. The institute has been vested with the responsibility to plan, undertake and

coordinate activities and services related to plant genetic resources including collection, exchangquarantine, evaluation, documentation, conservation and utilization of crops plants and horticulturalplants, their land races and wild relatives. Besides its Headquarters at the Pusa Campus andExperimental Farm at the Issapur village near Delhi, the institute has 12 regional stations/exploration base centers/quarantine stations/satellite stations located in diverse agro-climatic zones of the countryNBPGR is the nodal organization for developing, operating and coordinating the Indian Plant GenetiResource System. The system comprises base collections of germplasm of different crops kept undlong term storage at NBPGR headquarters and a network of over 30 National Active Germplasm Sitlocated throughout the country. These sites are responsible for evaluation, multiplication and storage o

germplasm. NBPGR has been able to build up 2,02,228 accessions from 183 species in its base coltions in the National Gene bank (at -20 C) as of June 2001.


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F ISHERIES D IVISION

This Division has six institutes, one bureau andone research centre. In addition a good numberof ad-hoc research projects and revolving fund

schemes are also in operation.

A CHIEVEMENTS

q Blue Revolution has been attained by enhancingfish production from 0.75 million mt in 1951 to5.4 million mt in 1997.

q India has emerged as the second largestproducing country in the world in freshwateraquaculture.

q Phenomenal growth of marine products export.q Indigenous design of fishing craft and gears.q Developed national standards for fish inspection

and quality control.q Nutritional evaluation of major fish species and

fishery products.q Created national collection centre for

characterization and storage of importantmarine microorganisms.

q Developed value-added fishery products for

export market.q Technology development of Retortable Pouch

Process as a substitute for canning fish.q Commercial production of chitin and chitosan

from shrimp head and shell.q Hatchery technology for shrimp.q Semi-intensive shrimp farming.q Fattening of lobsters and crabs.q Artificial feed for shrimp farming.q Technology package for broodstock management,

production of fingerlings and grow-out systemsfor major finfish, shellfish and molluscs.

q Culture and utilization of sea weeds.q Technology package for mass culture of 11

species of micro-algae.q Production of ornamental fish under hatchery

conditions.q Breeding of seabass under controlled conditions.q Commercial production of cultured pearls from

pearl oysters.


Goats and sheep grazing in a field in AndhraPradesh

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q Induced breeding of major carps, catfishes andother finfishes.

q Production of freshwater pearls.q Development of vaccines and formulation of

drugs for fish diseases.q Genetically improved, rohu, CIFA IR-I.q Commercialization of fish feeds for inland

aquaculture.q Production of mahseer and snow-trout in

hatcheries.q Conservation of endangered species.q Cryopreservation of milts of consumable

important fish species.q Enhanced fish productivity of reservoirs.

A GRICULTURAL E NGINEERING D IVISION

The Division provides engineering inputs formechanization of conventional and protectedagriculture, conservation of produce and by-prod-ucts from quantitative and qualitative losses, andvalue addition and agro-processing enterprises foradditional income and employment, energy manage-ment in agriculture and rural living for increasingproduction and productivity, and reducing

drudgery.A CHIEVEMENTS

q Manual, animal and power-operated seedsdrills, and planters, weeders; animal drawnmulti-purpose tool frame; zero-till/strip-till-drills, till-planters; puddlers; manual and self-propelled rice transplanters; tall tree, orchard,and high clearance sprayers; self-propelled,walking/riding and tractor/ power tillermounted vertical conveyor reaper; and multi-crop threshers.

q 126 types of agricultural machines developed,of which more than 60 have beencommercialized and 23 released for front-linedemonstrations.

q Hand-operated groundnut-cum-castor decorticator,low-cost grains, pulse, oilseed mills; poweroperated straw baler, vegetable dehydrator;manually and power operated dough mixer; rice

puffing machine; crop residue fired and solardrier; cleaners, sifters and graders; low costimproved storage structures for foodgrains,evaporative cooled structures for fruits andvegetables.

q Machinery for soybean processing and solid,granular and liquid jaggery developed.

q Technologies for cotton and jute productsdeveloped.

q Process for the preparation of shellac, lac dyeand wax from lac factory effluents; insulatingvarnishes, melfolac, primer and paintcompositions, shellac bond powder, aleuritic and jalaric acids, perfumery compounds developed.

q

Energy efficient equipment and packages;enhanced system efficiency in use of animatepower; tractors and power tillers; low cost biogasplants; pyrolysed briquetted fuels; low cost solarcookers and water heaters, solar tracking device;high efficiency cooking stoves; gasifiers forprocess heat and mechanical power; charcoal briquetting machine; portable charring kilndeveloped.

q System improvement and safety in centrifugal

pumps; solution to corrosion and incrustation intube-wells; construction of wells in hard rock areas; surface, sub-surface and vertical drainage.

q Establishment of Agricultural ResearchInformation System (ARIS), a WAN connecting28 State agricultural universities and their 120zonal agricultural stations, 49 ICAR institutes,10 project directorates, 25 NRCs and itsheadquarters in Krishi Bhavan.

N ATURAL R ESOURCESM ANAGEMENT D IVISION

The Division has nine research institutes, one bureau, two project directorates and two national research institutes.

A CHIEVEMENTS

q Soil map of the country on 1:7 million scale, statemap on 1:250,000 scale and district soil maps on



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1:50,000 scale have been prepared. Soildegradation map of the country on 1:4.4 millionscale has also been prepared.

q Twenty agro-ecological zones and sixty agro-ecological sub-regions of the country based onphysiography, soils, climate, length of growingperiod and available soil moisture are mappedon 1:4.4 million scale.

q Modification of land configuration on Alfisols,Vertisols and Inceptisols for on-farm rainwatermanagement in rainfed areas.

q An integrated strategy of managing rainfedareas through watershed development projectsin several parts of the country.

q

Soil and water conservation treatments inmountainous watersheds to runoff and soil loss.q Off-season tillage to improve moisture

conservation and weed control on Alfisols.q Techniques of sand dune stabilization and

shelter belt plantation were developed forarresting the movement of sand dunes in thearid zone.

q Cropping sequences and intercrop combinationsdeveloped for irrigated and rainfed areas.

q Water-use efficient irrigation schedules for majorcrops were evolved resulting in saving ofirrigation water.

q Water-use efficient, micro-irrigation methodsand technologies for utilization of availablewater in scarce areas were developed forirrigation, resulting in considerable saving ofwater and significant increase in crop yields.

q Technology for reclamation of alkali soils has been adopted in 1.0 M ha in Haryana, Punjaband Uttar Pradesh.

q Sub-surface drainage technology developed forwaterlogged saline soils in Punjab, Haryana,Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, and AndhraPradesh.

q Critical growth stages of various crops andcropping systems with respect to water stressand water requirement have been identified.

q Methodology of artificial groundwater recharge

developed for excess groundwater utilization bythe use of cavity wells, irrigation-cum-rechargewell and by percolation tank in hard rock areas.

q Relay, parallel, multiple and multi-storeycropping systems resulted in improved croppingintensity and productivity.

q Agri-silviculture, agri-silvi-horticulture, agro-horticulture, silvi-pasture systems have beendeveloped and evaluated for different agro-ecological regions.

q Agriculture production strategies developed based on weather forecast.

A GRICULTURAL E DUCATION D IVISION

The Education Division provides administrativesupport to the Central Agricultural University(CAU) and the National Academy of AgriculturalResearch Management and development grants toState Agricultural Universities, CAU, and Deemed-to-be Universities in ICAR.

A CHIEVEMENTS

q Establishment of Accreditation Board for qualityassurance to clientele.

q Grants of over Rs.760 millions sanctioned toSAUs, Central University and DUs to strengthenand update infrastructure and facultyimprovement during VIII Plan.

q Revision and updating of course curricula of all11 undergraduate (UG) courses completed andadopted by all SAUs.

q Qualifying National Eligibility Test (NET) madecompulsory for recruitment at AssistantProfessor/Lecturer level.

q To reduce inbreeding and promote culturalexchange, 300 National Talent Scholarships inUG, 437 Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) and200 Senior Research Fellowships (SRF) areawarded to meritorious students in everyacademic session.

q 200 foreign students from Iran, Ethiopia, Nepal,Bhutan, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Mauritius, Ugandaand Yemen were admitted in UG and PG courses



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in 1998-99 academic session.q Organized summer/winter schools in different

disciplines to train scientists and facultymembers.

q Arranged training programmes under Centresof Advance Studies to train scientists/teachersin current advancement in several areas.

q A workshop was held for writing universitylevel books and 35 titles were finalized.

q National Information System on AgriculturalEducation (NISAGE) developed.

q Nine National Professors and 25 NationalFellows are in position.

A GRICULTURAL E XTENSION D IVISION

This is the backbone of the ICAR System fortechnology assessment, refinement and trans-fer to the farmers.

A CHIEVEMENTS

q 25,000 farmers and farm women are trainedevery year in agriculture and allied fields suchas crop production, plant protection, livestock production and management, soil and water

management, farm machinery and tools, andhome science.

q Vocational training is imparted to 46,000 ruralyouth in poultry, dairying, piggery, beekeeping,fisheries, fruit and vegetable preservation,maintenance and repairing of farm machineryand tools, and hybrid seed production.

q In-service training programme to upgrade theknowledge and skills in transfer of technologiesin agriculture and allied areas for 2,200 extensionfunctionaries in KVKs and Trainers TrainingCentres (TTCs).

q Front-line Demonstration (FLD) on oilseed andpulse crops benefitting 11,000 farmers.

q Training of trainers in frontier areas such asdryland agriculture, animal production,horticulture, freshwater, aquaculture, marinefisheries, hill agriculture, agriculturalengineering and women in agriculture in TTCs.

q Multi-locational advance varietal trials of 17selected crops in 60 centres under irrigated and

rainfed conditions under separate croppingsequences in a joint collaborative TechnologyEvaluation and Impact Assessment Project withCrop Science Division.

q Identification, assessment and development ofgender-specific technologies at the NationalResearch Centre for Women in Agriculture,Bhubaneshwar (Orissa). Training of farm womenin farm implements and tools at the sub-centre ofNRCWA at the Central Institute of Agricultural

Engineering, Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh).q Establishment of 40 Agricultural Technology

Information Centres in ICAR Institutes andSAUs. These centres will provide a SingleWindow delivery system for technologyproducts, services and information available inthe institutions to the farmers.


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Indian Counsil for Agriculture