Lok Sabha Question No. 323 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-15
Subject: Funding in Agricultural Research
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Rajendra Agrawal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 323

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15/09/2020

## FUNDING IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

## 323.  SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the amount of money spent on funding agricultural research, in terms of GDP contribution;
- (b) whether  the  Government  plans  to  increase  it  further,  and  if  so,  the  details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the steps undertaken by the Government  to improve the quality of agricultural research and infrastructure in existing agricultural bodies; and
- (d) whether  the  Government  is  undertaking  foreign  collaborations  with  think tanks and research institutions to improve quality of agricultural research, and if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) The  public  money  spent  on  agricultural  research  and  education  to  total  of agricultural gross domestic product in India was 0.67% during 2017-18 at current prices.
- (b) The public spending on agriculture is subject to availability of funding with the Government. The public expenditure on agricultural Research and Examination has  increased  over  years  in  absolute  terms.  The  public  budget  for  agricultural research and education increased from Rs.115.44 billion in 2014-15 to Rs. 173.60 billion (at current prices) in 2017-18.

…….2/-

(c) To improve the quality of research in agriculture and build a storehouse of advancement of knowledge of the national importance, the Department invites and funds  proposals  on  competitive  basis  at  national  level  for  Basic , Strategic and Frontier  Application Research  in  Agriculture,  where  institutions  under  NARS, autonomous organization including IITs etc are participating. The Government has also been forward looking to improve existing infrastructure quality of agricultural research over years. Computerization and digitization of research system including administrative system along with equipment and chemicals are some examples of modernization of research system.

(d) The  Government  of  India  has  been  collaborating  with  foreign  research institutions/  universities  in  all  fields  of  sciences  including  agriculture  to  improve quality of research outputs. The CGIAR institutions, FAO, UNIDO, OECD, West Africa  Agricultural  Productivity  Program  (WAAPP),  Kansas  State  University, USA, Wenger-USA, African - Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO), SAARC  Regional  Networks,  ICRISAT,  CIMMYT,  AIT,  CIRAD,  IDRC,  IRRI, SAREC  and  USAID  etc.  from  European,  American,  African  and  Other  Asian Countries. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP), Asia Pacific Network for Testing Agricultural Machinery (ANTAM), and  other  international  institutions  are  active  partners  of  DARE/ICAR  and  have several memorandum of understanding (MOU) with foreign collaborators.

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