'Farmers are soul, scientists are brain': Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan outlines vision for Developed India 2047 at ICAR 98th Foundation Day
New Delhi, July 16
Union Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan participated in the 98th Foundation Day celebrations of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, which were held at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium in New Delhi on Thursday.
During the event, the Union Minister outlined the roadmap for "Developed Agriculture and Prosperous Farmers for a Developed India 2047."
Addressing the gathering, the Union Minister praised ICAR's contribution to the agriculture sector, declaring that today is not just foundation day; it is also an occasion to pay tribute to those generations whose penance transformed scarcity into self-reliance and struggle into solutions.
Emphasising the synergy required for agricultural advancement, Chouhan stated, "If farmers are the soul, then scientists are the brain." He further remarked that "miracles happen in the fields" only when government policy, the hard work of farmers, and the talent of scientists align effectively.
The Union Minister also acknowledged the contributions of India's leading agricultural scientists and former ICAR leadership, crediting their dedication for establishing the strong foundation that supports the country's agriculture sector today.
On the occasion of the 98th Foundation Day, Chouhan announced the launch of a "100 Young Scientist Grant Challenge," aimed at fostering innovation in critical fields such as AI, Robotics, Gene Editing, Precision Agriculture, and Climate Smart Agriculture.
He asserted that by channelising the talent and potential of young scientists in the right direction, India can reach new heights in agricultural innovation.
Highlighting a series of structural reforms, the Minister announced the 'One Institute, One Grant Innovation' initiative, directing every ICAR institute to develop at least one transformative technology over the next two years that can deliver a national-level impact. Furthermore, each institute is tasked with adopting an Aspirational District to develop a model of agricultural transformation.
He urged the council to adopt 'Mission ICAR 100' for the next two years to achieve concrete results and mandated that Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) evolve beyond traditional training centres into Innovation Hubs, Climate Advisory Centres, Startup Support Centres, and Farmer Technology Demonstration Centres.
The Minister emphasised that the primary priority must be the timely and effective delivery of new varieties to farmers, reinforcing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Lab to Land' mantra. He stressed that research must reach the fields to provide real-time benefits to farmers.
"Our priority should be that the new varieties developed reach every farmer on time and effectively. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji consistently emphasises the mantra of 'Lab to Land'. Just doing research, developing new varieties, and creating modern farming practices and machines is not enough. Our goal should be that the technologies and innovations developed in laboratories reach the fields directly. For farmers to benefit from research in real time, it is essential that scientists and farmers stand together," said Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Describing the role of a scientist as a "mission to change the country and the world" rather than mere employment, Chouhan quoted the teachings of Lord Krishna, declaring that an ideal worker is enthusiastic, ego-free, patient, and collaborative, and scientists should work with the same spirit. He appealed to the scientific community to make the dreams of farmers their mission, ensuring that the vision of 'Developed Agriculture and Prosperous Farmers' becomes a reality by 2047.
The event was also addressed by Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare Ramnath Thakur, Minister of State Bhagirath Choudhary, and Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel. Secretary DARE and Director General ICAR Dr. M. L. Jat and Additional Secretary Gyanendra D. Tripathi also spoke at the gathering.
The celebration saw widespread participation as scientists, employees, students, and farmers from KVKs, ICAR institutes, and agricultural universities across the country joined the event virtually, marking it as a shared milestone for the Indian agriculture family.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Very inspiring vision! As someone who worked briefly on an agri-startup in Bangalore, I love the focus on AI and precision agriculture. But I hope the 'One Institute, One Grant Innovation' doesn't become just another bureaucratic box-ticking exercise. The real test will be in adoption by small farmers. Still, the emphasis on farmers as the "soul" is deeply touching. India's strength has always been its farmers. 🇮🇳
I appreciate the sentiment, but let's be honest - farmers have heard many such announcements over the years. My father is a farmer in Andhra and he still struggles with MSP and irrigation. Good that Chouhan ji is talking about climate-smart agriculture and gene editing, but we need faster implementation. Also, why only 'Lab to Land'? What about 'Land to Lab'? Farmers' traditional knowledge should also inform research. That's true synergy.
The vision for 2047 is commendable! The 'Mission ICAR 100' sounds ambitious - turning KVKs into innovation hubs and climate advisory centres is a game changer if done right. I'm a soil scientist, and I've seen how outdated some KVKs are. This transformation is long overdue. However, the real challenge is retaining young scientists - grants are good, but we need better career paths. Otherwise, they'll just migrate to private sector.
Heartening to see this focus! The quote about 'miracles happening in fields when policy, hard work, and talent align' is spot on. India's Green Revolution was exactly that. Now we need another revolution - sustainable, climate-resilient, and tech-driven. I work in agri-tech and the young scientist challenge could be a huge boost for startups. Let's hope the government walks the talk on funding and doesn't just create another scheme that vanishes after elections. 🙏
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