Lok Sabha Question No. 3000 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-22
Subject: New Technology in Agricultural Research
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Bidyut Baran Mahato, Shrirang Appa Barne, Subrata Pathak, Ravindra Kushawaha, Ravi Kishan Shukla, Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Manoj Kumar Tiwari, Sudheer Gupta, Prataprao  Jadhav

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3000

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22 nd  MARCH, 2022

## NEW TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

## 3000.  SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI SUBRAT PATHAK:

SHRI RAVINDRA KUSHWAHA:

SHRI RAVI KISHAN:

SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि और ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to introduce new technology in the field of agricultural research and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of funds allocated by the Government for the said purpose;
- (c) whether the said research project would also be re-oriented to the market-driven WTO regime to improve the competitiveness of our farmers in the international market and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the manner in which Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) would be involved to financially strengthen the farmers of the country;
- (e) the details of agricultural research centres established by the Government for the said purpose in various parts of the country during the last three years; and
- (f)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Union  Government  to  shift  research from  a  commodity-based approach to a farming-based system to address local problems identified by farmers?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ षि और ककसान कल्याण मंत्री

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) & (b) The Government promotes use of new technology in Agricultural Research. The Research by ICAR focuses genetic enhancement crops/ livestock/ fish for high yield,

quality and climate resilience, conservation of resources and, development of intelligent IT enabled platform for  technology  transfer  among  farmers  and  stakeholders.  ICAR  during 2021-22 developed and released 309 varieties/ hybrids of field crops including 35 varieties with special traits and 94 varieties of Horticultural crops for cultivation by ICAR.

Government, during 2020-21 and 2021-22, has allocated funds to the tune of Rs 1756.3  and  Rs.  2422.7  crores  to  the  States  for  introducing  new  technologies  including drones,  artificial  intelligence,  block  chain,  remote  sensing  and  GIS  etc  in  agriculture. Further, the Government also allocated Rs. 7302.50 and Rs. 7908.18 crores in 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively to ICAR for undertaking Research and Development in Agriculture for developing new technologies, their demonstration at farmer's field and capacity building of farmers for adoption of new technology.

(c) The Government has accorded due focus on ensuring improved service delivery and facilitating  market  access to farmers. The Government also accords adequate emphasis towards reducing transaction costs, promotion of FPOs to improve their bargaining power. Development  of  infrastructure  have  also  been  given  due  attention  to  ensure  better connectivity of farmers to national and international market.

(d) High-yielding, cost-saving, disease/pest resistant and climate-resilient varieties and technologies  in  crops,  horticulture,  animal  and  fisheries  science  developed  besides precision farm equipment for production and post production agriculture developed by ICAR have  played  important  role  in  increasing  production  and  productivity,  reducing  cost  of production and   enhancing income of the farmers.  Adoption of Farming Systems Models developed by ICAR have also enabled farmers to enhance their income and strengthen their economic  condition.  Besides,  State  specific  strategies  for  increasing  farmers  income, provided to States by ICAR, are also helping farmers to increase their incomes.

(e) National  Agricultural  Research  System  comprising  of  a  total  of  102  Research Institutions,  63  State  Agricultural  Universities,  3  Central  Agricultural  Universities  and  4 Universities having agriculture faculty besides 82 All India Coordinated Research Projects /Network Projects, each having a large number of coordinating centres across the nation, is amongst the largest and strongest research systems of the World. As adequate number of research  centres  are  existing  in  the  country,  no  new  research  centres  was  established during the last three years by the Government.

(f) Due emphasis is given by ICAR to shift research from a commodity-based to farming systems  based  approach.  ICAR  has  created  multidisciplinary  research  complexes  in different regions of the country to address this. A dedicated Institute 'ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research (IIFSR), Modipuram' is working on characterizing, creating, studying and refining the farming system models in all the agro-climatic regions. Another institute,  ICAR  -  Mahatma  Gandhi  Integrated  Farming  Research  Institute  has  been established  to  facilitate  and  promote  coordination  and  dissemination of the  technology for integrated  farming through  network/consortia  approach.  Sixty-three  Region  Specific Integrated  Farming  System  models  developed  by  ICAR  are  demonstrated  through  the network of research Institutes and Krishi Vigyan Kendras all over the country.

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