Central Arid Zone Research Institute

The arid zone of India covers about 12% of the country’s geographical area and occupies over 31.7 m ha of hot desert and about 7 m ha is under cold desert. The production and life support systems in the hot regions are constrained by low and erratic precipitation (100-420 mm year^-1), high evapotranspiration (1500-2000 mm year^-1), and poor soil physical and fertility conditions. The local inhabitants have evolved suitable landuse and management systems of farming, pastoralism and animal husbandry; of late, these local survival systems have become inadequate to fulfill the ever increasing needs. This has resulted in over-exploitation of resources causing rapid and widespread land degradation and decline in productivity. To arrest this degradation process and for scientific and sustainable management of the resources Desert Afforestation Station was established in 1952 at Jodhpur. This was later expanded into Desert Afforestation and Soil Conservation Station in 1957, and finally upgraded to Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI) in 1959 under Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. The CAZRI operates through 8 Divisions, located at the headquarters in Jodhpur. There are four Regional Research Stations located in different agroclimatic zones to work on location - specific problems.

FACILITIES

The Institute spread over 284 ha area, has five major units of laboratories and office building, a farm complex and several field laboratories, auditorium, a conference hall and a museum. There is a hostel for research students and trainees and a guest house within the campus. The Institute has an excellent library with over 20,000 books and 60,000 back volumes of Journals. It also possesses AGRIS Data base from 1975 to date on all aspects of agriculture. ENVIS project on desertification is also in operation. The cell on Agriculture Research Information System (ARIS) is there to cater the needs of E-mail and other Internet services.

At present Institute has a sanctioned strength of 150 scientists. To support research 315 technical, and 286 supporting staff is there. In addition 125 administrative staff is there to support the organization. The Institute is primarily funded by ICAR. The current budget for the fiscal year 1998-99 is Rs. 96.2 million. Certain externally funded programmes supported by national and international agencies are also under taken.

ACTIVITIES

In the Institute, basic as well as applied researches are carried out on almost every conceivable area related to arid region. The spectrum of activities involves researches on : basic resource inventories; monitoring of desertification, rehabilitation and management of degraded lands; afforestation and wind erosion control; dryland farming and integrated watershed management; alternate land-use systems; rational utilization of limited irrigation water resources; range management and soil conservation; improvement of arable crops, grasses, shrubs and trees; animal production and management; natural products from under-utilized and under exploited plants; agro-products processing for value addition; integrated pest management; human resource development; on-farm research and transfer of technology.

MANDATE

• To undertake basic and applied researches that will contribute to the development of sustainable farming systems in the arid ecosystems
• To act as repository of information on the state of natural resources and desertification processes and their control
• To provide scientific leadership and collaboration with State Agricultural University for generating location specific technologies for achieving the objective
• To act as a centre for training in relevant scientific areas
• To collaborate with relevant national and international institutions in achieving the above objectives
• To provide consultancy

As a result of the continued efforts of over 40 years, the CAZRI today is an internationally recognized centre for research pertaining to problems of arid and semi-arid zones. In fact, CAZRI is a unique multidisciplinary research organization in the South and South-East Asia having research facilities for over 30 different disciplines. Since its inception the vision of this organization has been to bring prosperity to the fragile ecosystems of desert. With the dedicated efforts of CAZRI scientists, Thar, at present, is scientifically best understood and extremely well documented desert of the world.

Central Arid Zone Research Institute
Jodhpur, Rajasthan
India
E-Mail : cazri@x400.nicgw.nic.in