82nd Annual General Meeting of the ICAR Society

Agriculture Sector Offers Considerable Scope for Equitable Growth of the Economy: Sharad Pawar

New Delhi, 02 Feb, 2011

‘Agriculture sector offers considerable scope for equitable growth of the economy’, said Union Minister for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries Shri Sharad Pawar while inaugurating 82nd Annual General Meeting of ICAR Society at NASC complex here today. ‘Innovations and human resources are the twin engines of growth and development and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is playing a key role in providing the technological solutions and human resource development to achieve inclusive growth, he added.

While referring persistent challenges before agriculture, Shri Pawar said National Agricultural Research System through its cutting edge technologies and human resources gives confidence to the nation for successfully meeting these challenges. ‘In continuing efforts to improve crop production and productivity, release of 60 improved varieties and hybrids of important crops; and production of over 30,000 tonnes of better seeds of different categories will significantly improve crop agriculture in different agro-climatic regions of the country.’, he said.

Union Minister for Human Resource Development and Communications & Information Technology, Shri Kapil Sibal complimented and congratulated ICAR for its enormous contribution in phenomenal agricultural growth and urged ICAR to join hands with Ministry of Science and Technology, Department of Bio-Technology and University system to harness power of science to achieve the desired growth. He also opined that ICAR should initiate cross-disciplinary research programmes on Biotechnology, Genomics and Engineering by involving University research system. To curb migration of rural population, we must develop skill development programme in agriculture for school level students, he added. This will lead to empowerment of villagers at their own place and motivate them to pursue family occupation i.e. agriculture. He also stressed the need to enhance accessibility of low-cost technologies to farmers in collaboration with manufacturing sector.

Earlier Dr. S.Ayyappan, Secretary, DARE and Director General, ICAR presented a brief account of activities and achievements of ICAR during the year. He said that the Year 2010 has been ‘agriculturally rewarding’ as we have observed one of the highest growth rates of over 4% in the quarter of July-September, that is being considered as the major driver of the projected National GDP close to 9%; and the National Agricultural Research System, as always, has provided the required inputs. ‘Department’s performance against the commitments made in the Results-Framework Document (RFD) for 2009-10 achieved the highest composite score during the year’, he added.Through its research, education and extension programmes, the ICAR is committed for transforming Indian agriculture primarily from food self-sufficiency to enhancement in profitability, he emphasized.

Shri Sharad Pawar along with Shri Sibal launched ‘National Initiative for Climate Resilient Agriculture’ to address abiotic and biotic stresses affecting agriculture on this occasion.  

Council’s strategic document ICAR ‘Vision 2030’ and a popular publication on horticulture in Hindi ‘Phal Vigyan’ were also released by honorable guests. Concurrently organized Farm Innovators exhibition attracted participants and farmers were honored by Shri Pawar and Shri Sibal.

Agriculture and Animal husbandry Ministers of various States, Members of the Governing Body of the ICAR participated in the deliberations along with senior ICAR officials and other dignitaries.

(Source: NAIP Sub-Project on Mass Media Mobilization, DIPA)