Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday held a meeting with ministry officials to discuss the future of agricultural research in India.
During the meeting, he called for evaluation of the effectiveness of the current network of 113 Research Institutes under the ministry. He also emphasized on the importance of assessing the performance and impact of the existing research network.
“We need to ensure that our network is functioning effectively and achieving the intended results,” he stated.
He directed officials to submit a detailed report identifying any gaps and areas for improvement.
Chouhan highlighted the necessity of setting and reviewing targets to bring about significant advancements in agriculture.
“If we set targets and are successful in achieving them, we can bring about a new revolution,” he said.
Stressing on the importance of periodic reviews to track progress against set goals and identify any shortfalls, the new agriculture minister outlined a vision to achieve major milestones by 2047, with interim targets for 2026 and 2027 to ensure continuous progress.
Addressing regional disparities in the productivity of irrigated and non-irrigated land, Chouhan pointed out the lower productivity in Jharkhand compared to the national average and called for a dedicated campaign to balance the productivity.
The minister also directed to focus on research aimed at increasing the productivity and income of farmers while reducing production costs.
He advocated for the promotion of bio-fortified crop varieties to enhance crop yield uniformly across various regions.
The meeting was attended by Union Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Ram Nath Thakur and Bhagirath Chaudhary, Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja, and Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dr. Himanshu Pathak.
This concerted effort aims to boost the agricultural sector’s efficiency and sustainability, ensuring that farmers across India benefit from scientific advancements and improved agricultural practices.