The R&D efforts undertaken by ICAR are farmer-centric and path breaking.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is engaged in developing high-yielding, disease/pest-resistant varieties and technologies in crops, horticulture, animal and fisheries science which have enabled food and nutritional security in the country. During the last three years, a total 838 high-yielding and trait-specific field crop varieties have been developed by ICAR of which 578 are climate-resilient, 41 short duration and 47 biofortified varieties. During the last three years, 3.53 lakh breeder seed of 1330 varieties of 61 field crops has been produced as per the indents received from DAC & FW and supplied to the seed-producing agencies.
Integrated Farming System (IFS) models (63 till date) developed by ICAR have the potential to enhance the income of farmers. During the last 3 years 18 IFS models, 14 bankable projects on IFS and organic farming packages for 22 cropping systems were developed. Total 101 technologies for processing and on-farm value addition were also developed. In fisheries, ICAR developed breeding and seed production technologies of 9 food fishes and 12 ornamental fishes, demonstrated cage culture in reservoirs and open sea, developed several cost-effective feeds for fish and shellfish, developed and demonstrated culture technology of pacific white shrimp, farming in inland saline regions of north India and developed and commercialized several nutraceuticals from seaweeds and other aquatic organisms for human health.
The R&D efforts undertaken by ICAR are farmer-centric. With the purpose of providing technical support to the farmers and providing technology backstopping of various farmer-centric schemes of the Government ICAR sets targets. During 2020 alone, 345 varieties of different crops were developed.
