ICAR-Sponsored Winter School on Rainfed Organic Farming Systems Inaugurated at ICAR–CRIDA, Hyderabad

28 January 2026, Hyderabad

A 21-day ICAR-sponsored Winter School on “Recent Developments in Rainfed Organic Farming Systems” was inaugurated today at ICAR–Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad. The programme will be conducted from 28 January to 17 February 2026.

The Chief Guest Dr. S. Rajendra Prasad, Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bengaluru, emphasized the growing relevance of rainfed organic farming in enhancing soil health, resilience to climate variability and sustainability of rainfed production systems. He also highlighted the need for integrating traditional knowledge with recent scientific advances to improve farmers’ livelihoods in rainfed regions.

Dr. V.K. Singh, Director, ICAR-CRIDA, delivered his remarks underscoring the importance of organic and natural resource–based approaches for climate-resilient agriculture, particularly in rainfed ecosystems that are highly vulnerable to climatic extremes.

The Course Director provided an overview of the Winter School and outlined its objectives, structure and expected outcomes.

Twenty-five Assistant/Associate Professors/Scientists from 7 states (Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam, Maharashtra and Punjab) are participating in the training which aims to strengthen capacity building and promote sustainable organic farming practices for rainfed and dryland agriculture.

(Source: ICAR–Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad)