Lok Sabha Question No. 1565 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-09
Subject: Extinction of Traditional Crops due to Climate Change
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS' WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS' WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1565

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 09 th  December, 2025

## Extinction of Traditional Crops due to Climate Change

1565. Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  many  traditional  crops  of  the  mountainous regions are on the verge of extinction due to climate change, migration, and commercial farming;
- (b) the action taken by the ICAR and the National Gene Bank to conserve, document, and reintroduce such extinct or endangered crop varieties;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to launch a special program for the conservation and  propagation  of  nutrient-rich  "forgotten  crops"  (millets,  pseudo-cereals,  medicinal plants, etc.); and
- (d)  the  steps  proposed  to  be  taken  to  revive  these  crop  varieties  through  seed  banks, marketing support, processing, and value addition infrastructure?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI  RAM NATH THAKUR)

- (a) & (b): Central Arid Zone Research Institute (ICAR-CAZRI), an Institute under Indian Council of Agricultural Research undertakes initiatives for the conservation, improvement, and sustainable use of traditional arid-region crops such as pearl millet, moth bean, cluster bean, grasses, medicinal plants, shrubs, and arid fruits. As on 30th November 2025, ICAR and  the  National  Gene  Bank  have  undertaken  measures  to  conserve,  document,  and reintroduce 100086 extinct or endangered crop varieties which include 85587 landrace varieties and 14499 traditional cultivar varieties.
- (c) & (d): Government has been actively promoting conservation and propagation of nutrient-rich 'forgotten crops'. United Nations declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets at India's initiative, giving a major boost to research, conservation, and large-scale promotion of millets across the country. Further, various ICAR institutes and National Gene Bank are continuously working to conserve, improve, and mainstream millets, pseudocereals, medicinal plants, and other underutilized crops through dedicated programmes and research initiatives. The Government is supporting States by providing market facilities and market linkage to the farmers. The produce grown in the mountainous regions are majorly  organic  produce  due  to  least  use  of  agro-chemicals.      To  provide  marketing facilities  and  market  linkages  for  these  organically  grown  produce  including  those  of medicinal and aromatic plants, Govt. is promoting organic produce specific special FPOs and providing them market linkages through publicity among and interface with organic produce  buyers.  In  addition,  Government  also  takes  up  with  States  to  create  niche/ dedicated space in the mandis for sale-transaction of organically grown produce.

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