Indian Council of Agricultural Research celebrates 95th foundation day, displays innovations through exhibition

New Delhi [India], July 17 (ANI): The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) celebrated its 95th foundation day at its headquarters here in the national capital on Sunday.

In line with the foundation day, a three-day exhibition has been organized to showcase technologies developed by the state-owned premier research organisation to benefit farmers, students, industry, and entrepreneurs. Seeds, horticulture items, processed organic products such as millets, drones for spraying fertilisers and pesticides, were on display for visitors.
The exhibition is open for public till Tuesday.

Established on July 16, 1929, and formerly known as the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research according to its website, ICAR is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

The Council is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country.

With 113 ICAR institutes and 71 agricultural universities spread across the country, it is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world.

Speaking on the occasion, Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and president of ICAR Society, appreciated the historic journey of ICAR and its overall achievements during the last 94 years. He lauded the scientists and farmers for their great service to the nation in making the country not only self-sufficient in many commodities but also becoming an exporter of food items.

Tomar, the Chief Guest of the program, noted that India is a surplus nation in terms of food grains, and providing food to 80 crore people of the country.

Agricultural products from India are being preferred globally and millets are getting significance in the International Year of Millets celebrated this year, he said, giving credit to the sincere efforts of Indian farmers and scientists.

The agriculture minister said exports earned from agricultural and horticultural products have crossed USD 50 billion.

Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry – Dairying, touched upon the need for tapping carbon credits in agriculture which could benefit Indian farmers.

Rupala particularly said that the time has come to earn carbon credits from agriculture which can be explored for additional income.

Rupala, on the occasion, called upon agricultural scientists to step-up research on millets given its demand is set to rise. Besides, he also suggested they do more research on sheep, goat, camel, and donkey milk instead of just cow milk.

The ministers added this is the right time to chalk a roadmap to be achieved in the centenary year – the 100th year of ICAR.

Himanshu Pathak, Secretary (DARE) and Director General (ICAR), emphasised that India is not only self-sufficient in the production of food grains but is also exporting agriculture and agricultural products in large quantities.

In his presentation at the start of the event, he highlighted the achievement made by ICAR such as the development of 346 varieties of food grains, 99 varieties of horticulture crops, mapping of efficient cropping system zones, fertigation schedule for 24 crops, 28 new equipment’s and machinery, coronavirus and lumpy disease vaccines, new diagnostics, the breeding protocol of new fish breeds, among others.