ICAR Exhibition Stall at 5th Chief Secretaries’ Conference Draws Wide Appreciation

26–28 December 2025, New Delhi

The Division of Agricultural Extension, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, showcased an exhibition stall at the 5th Chief Secretaries’ Conference, held from 26 to 28 December 2025 at the National Agricultural Science Complex (NASC), Pusa, New Delhi.

The ICAR stall highlighted impactful outcomes of ICAR’s flagship initiatives, with a special focus on skill development and agripreneurship promoted through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) under the ARYA programme and skilling initiatives of the Agricultural Skill Council of India (ASCI).

Shri Manoj Ahuja, Chief Secretary to the Government of Odisha, interacted with Dr. M. L. Jat, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR), and Dr. Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension) ICAR. Ms Yogita Rana, Secretary, Higher Education, Government of Telangana, also held discussions on curriculum development for skilling and inclusion of agriculture in secondary education.

A key attraction was the display of agripreneurial models developed by KVKs, quality products produced by them, and recently released crop varieties from ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), including genome-edited rice, double zero mustard, short-duration pigeon pea, biofortified lentil and mustard, high-yielding chickpea, mothbean, and sunflower. State-specific success stories—protected cultivation in Rajasthan, mushroom farming in Andhra Pradesh, floriculture in NEH states, canopy management in Telangana, beekeeping in Tamil Nadu, and crop residue management in Punjab—drew particular interest from the Chief Secretaries.

Chief Secretaries from Odisha and Karnataka, Additional Chief Secretaries from Maharashtra and Odisha, and several senior state officials visited the stall, interacted with ICAR officials, and appreciated the contributions of KVKs in their respective states. 

The stall also showcased ICAR’s recent publications highlighting institutional achievements, along with popular magazines such as Indian Farming, Indian Horticulture, Kheti, and Phal-Phool, which attracted considerable attention.

On the concluding day, NITI Aayog CEO Shri B. V. R. Subrahmanyam, along with senior officers, visited the stall and commended ICAR’s exhibition and its contribution to the conference.

The exhibition was coordinated by ICAR–ATARI Jodhpur with support from all ATARIs and Subject Matter Divisions (SMDs). The event reflected strong teamwork across ICAR under the dynamic leadership of the Secretary, DARE & Director General, ICAR, and the DDG (Agricultural Extension). 

(Source: Division of Agricultural Extension, ICAR)