28 July 2025, Meerut
A Brainstorming workshop on ‘Prototype to Landscape: IFS as an Approach for Sustainability and Farmers’ Prosperity’ was organized at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram, today. The workshop was chaired by Dr. M. L. Jat, Secretary (DARE) and Director General (ICAR).
The event witnessed the participation of several eminent dignitaries, including Dr. A. K. Nayak, Deputy Director General (Natural Resource Management) ICAR; Dr. Raghavendra Bhatta, Deputy Director General (Animal Science) ICAR; Dr. B. S. Dwivedi, Member (NRM), ASRB; Dr. P. S. Pandey, Vice Chancellor, Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Samastipur; Dr. A.K. Shukla, Vice-Chancellor, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Gwalior; Dr. A. K. Singh, Former Vice-Chancellor, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour; and Dr. A. Velmurugan, Assistant Director General (SWM & AAF&CC), ICAR.
The workshop was further enriched by the deliberations from esteemed Directors and former Directors of various ICAR institutes, who provided valuable insights on agro-ecology-based IFS strategies and scaling approaches. These included Dr. O. P. Yadav, Former Director, ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Dr. V. K. Singh, ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Dr. N. G. Patil, ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Dr. Laxmi Kant, ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora, Dr. M. K. Verma, ICAR-Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture, Srinagar, Dr. Parveen Kumar, ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Goa, Dr. Anup Das, ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Dr. D. M. Hegde, Former Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad and former Directors of ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Meerut, Dr. B. Gangwar and Dr. A. S. Panwar.
In concluding remarks, Dr. Jat emphasized the need to establish a dedicated Farming Systems Research Community and to develop a core group of IFS researchers beyond the existing institutional network. He underscored the importance of generating comprehensive metadata on IFS, developing robust statistical models, conducting scenario analyses, and mapping inflow–outflow dynamics from the farm to the landscape level. Special emphasis was placed on the convergence of government schemes to support the promotion and scaling of IFS at the landscape scale. He strongly advocated for launching a ‘National Mission on IFS for One Health’, integrating agricultural sustainability with environmental and human well-being.
On this occasion, Dr. M. L. Jat along with other dignitaries laid the foundation stone for the new Institute Gate and Farm Facility at ICAR-IIFSR.
Dr. Sunil Kumar, Director, ICAR-IIFSR, welcomed the participants and set the tone for the deliberations by presenting the background and objectives of the workshop. The event saw enthusiastic participation from over 200 stakeholders, researchers, and policymakers in hybrid mode, contributing meaningfully to the discourse on transforming IFS prototypes into actionable, scalable models.
The workshop focused on scaling up 76 Integrated Farming System (IFS) models developed by ICAR-IIFSR to the landscape level. Key strategies included ecosystem service assessments, frameworks for green and carbon credits, and payment mechanisms to promote sustainable practices. Emphasis was placed on field-level implementation, enterprise allocation models based on biophysical and socio-economic data, robust data systems, and integration of watershed approaches with measurable KPIs. A holistic IFS framework combining soil, water, livestock, forestry, and land use was recommended. The need for region-specific interventions, meta-analyses of existing models, and alignment with government schemes was also highlighted to ensure effective convergence and impact.
(Source: ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram)
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