"Should develop at least 100 Climate Smart Villages": 'Union Minister Shivraj Singh asks ICAR ahead of its 100th Foundation Year
New Delhi, July 16
Union Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday directed the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and its affiliated institutes to develop at least 100 'Climate Smart Villages' ahead of the council's 100th Foundation Day, asserting that climate-friendly techniques will enable farmers to practice safe and profitable agriculture despite changing weather patterns.
Under the newly launched 'One Institute, One Grant Innovation' initiative, the Minister directed every ICAR institute to develop at least one transformative technology over the next two years that can deliver a national-level impact. This push aims to ensure that advancements, ranging from new crop varieties and vaccines to digital tools and climate-smart agriculture models, bring tangible change to farmers' lives.
The Union Minister also announced that by the 100th Foundation Year, the council should aim to take its scientific technologies, innovations, and modern agricultural solutions to at least 10 crore farmers. He described this as a historic step toward ensuring the vision of 'Developed Agriculture and Prosperous Farmers' becomes a ground reality by 2047.
The Minister proposed that the next two years should be designated as 'Mission ICAR-100'. As part of this mission, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) are set to evolve from traditional training centres into Innovation Hubs, Climate Advisory Centres, Startup Support Centres, and Farmer Technology Demonstration Centres. He suggested a fortnight-long action plan where every KVK visits at least 100 villages to showcase research and technology on a large scale.
Prioritising digital accessibility, the Minister announced the creation of an "ICAR Open Digital Knowledge Platform." Emphasising a "mobile-first" approach to technology transfer, the platform will allow farmers to access ICAR's advisory videos, soil testing results, weather updates, and market information free of cost directly from their fields.
Responding to concerns regarding agricultural inputs, the Minister stated that a strict law against fake and substandard seeds and pesticides is the need of the hour. He urged scientists to develop simple, on-field devices for instant quality testing to protect farmers from fraud and mitigate crop risk.
Chouhan also called for institutional self-reliance, stating that ICAR should not remain solely dependent on the government budget. He tasked the council with a target of developing Rs 10,000 crore in internal resource generation by 2029 through its technologies, varieties, vaccines, and licensing agreements. He assured that while government support would continue, the institution must become financially robust through its innovations.
On the occasion, Shivraj Singh Chouhan also released 43 new varieties, 17 technologies/products, and 14 publications, covering higher production, disease resistance, nutrition-rich crops, and vaccines for livestock and fisheries.
Appreciating efforts to control Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and other serious animal diseases, the Minister emphasised that self-reliance in seeds, fertilisers, and animal health is the way forward. He also directed the acceleration of technology transfer to farmers through collaborations with the private sector and startups, citing the signing of over 70 MoUs and technology licensing agreements.
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.
Union Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan participated in the 98th Foundation Day celebrations of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), which were held at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium in New Delhi on Thursday.
According to Shivraj Singh Chouhan, permanent appointment letters were awarded to over 150 ICAR employees for the first time during the event. Describing the move as the culmination of a long struggle against injustice, the Minister stated that the regularisation of these staff members brought a sense of collective joy to the entire ICAR family. Congratulating the newly regularised employees, Chouhan termed the development a major achievement for the council.
The event was attended 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
Finally a minister who understands ground reality! The 'One Institute, One Grant Innovation' scheme sounds promising. But Rs 10,000 crore internal resource target by 2029? That's ambitious. Hope they don't start charging farmers for basic advisories.
As someone who works in agri-tech, I'm cautiously optimistic. The open digital knowledge platform is a game-changer if executed well. But ICAR needs to move faster—climate change isn't waiting. Also, stopping fake seeds/pesticides is long overdue.
My father is a farmer in Maharashtra. He says KVKs are good but rarely visit interior villages. The fortnight-long plan to cover 100 villages each sounds nice on paper, but implementation is key. Also, 43 new varieties released—hope they are drought-resistant!
The regularisation of 150+ ICAR employees is long overdue, but what about the thousands of contract workers still waiting? The 'Developed Agriculture by 2047' vision sounds nice, but we need immediate relief for small farmers suffering from input costs.
Impressive to see a minister quoting Lord Krishna and mentioning self-reliance. But climate-smart villages need local participation, not just top-down directives. The mobile-first platform is smart—many farmers use smartphones now. Just make it in regional languages!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.