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AgroPolicy, India, R&D, Sustainability

Important outcomes included identifying the critical need for aligning the centres’ research activities with the country’s priorities and planning for a similar meeting every year

At the invitation of the Government of India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, 16 International Agricultural Research Centers (IARCs), including 10 CGIAR centres attended a meeting at ICRISAT Headquarters in Hyderabad, to update on their research activities in India and innovations in the pipeline.

Important outcomes included identifying the critical need for aligning the centres’ research activities with the country’s priorities and planning for a similar meeting every year in January/ February to synergise the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the IARCs’ research activities.

Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), Government of India, who participated virtually, set the context of the meeting. In his concluding remarks, he expressed the need to ‘institutionalise’ the annual meeting to integrate knowledge from all the centres and plan effectively both for the short, medium and long-term research goals.

“Any knowledge, idea or practice useful to the farmer in India, should reach them as quickly as possible before the opportunity is lost. We need a sandbox environment to test new ideas/ knowledge and then quickly roll it out and find out how much it can be scaled out,” Manoj Ahuja.

Shubha Thakur, Joint Secretary (Crops, Oil Seeds & Administration, CVO), DA&FW, who participated actively in the discussions, emphasised the need to build strong seed systems and facilitate easy accessibility of improved varieties to farmers. She said she was happy to be part of the ‘first common meeting’ of all the IARCs.

Temina Lalani-Shariff, Regional Director, South Asia, CGIAR, presented case studies on technologies developed by the One CGIAR for regions across India, which were appreciated by officials from DA&FW.

Arvind Kumar, Deputy Director General-Research ICRISAT, highlighted the many achievements of ICRISAT and its work across disciplines and across agriculture for the development value chain. He cited the example of soil and water conservation in Bundelkhand which caught the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and spoke of plans to out-scale to other regions.

Important outcomes included identifying the critical need

Agrotech, Company News, North America, R&D

This investment will allow the company to expand operations and better serve the clients in the US and globally

Solis Agrosciences, created to provide R&D crop development services to Agtech companies, has announced that it has closed on major growth capital financing led by Hermann Companies, Jim McKelvey, and BioGenerator Ventures. The funding will allow Solis to expand with additional talent and infrastructure to meet the needs of a growing customer base.

“Hermann has known the principals at Solis for years and jumped at the opportunity to help lead this financing,” said Robert Hermann, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Hermann Companies. “Solis’ business aligns perfectly with the Food & Ag strengths of St. Louis and Hermann.”

“We are thrilled to receive this investment,” said Mary Fernandes, President and Co-founder of Solis Agrosciences. “This funding and our early success validate Solis’ model of providing high-quality R&D services to power our clients’ product development. We are committed to making Agtech innovation faster, better, and more capital-efficient. This investment will allow us to expand our operations and better serve our clients in the US and globally. We are grateful to our clients for their trust and partnership.”

“Solis began as a conversation with Charlie Bolten at BioGenerator Ventures about what opportunities and needs might be created by predicting where the Agtech space is headed,” said Solis Co-founder and Board Chair Martha Schlicher. “Consolidation of large agricultural companies has followed the path of Pharma – innovation critical to feed a growing world in a changing climate is now occurring off balance sheet. This means crucial technologies the world urgently needs will come from startups, and no place is better positioned than the 39 North Agtech cluster in St. Louis to provide the infrastructure needed for these to succeed. As a key provider of these capabilities, Solis is already having a strong positive impact on the ecosystem and its platform is attracting startups from around the world.”

“Solis’ Plant Pipeline as a Service is the best integrated resource imaginable for gene editing, plant transformation, plant analysis, and greenhouse operation. Working with Solis is like having our own in-house team to manage our pipeline. They are great partners dedicated to our success,” said Michael Lassner, Chief Scientific Officer of Amfora, Inc. an Agtech company focused on increasing the protein content of crops and a Solis client.

Solis plans to meet customer demand by continually launching new services, adding new crop species, acquiring new technologies, and building world-class infrastructure in an eco-friendly way.

“To ensure Solis can meet its growing customer demand, we needed to expand our greenhouse and field capabilities,” said Tom Cohen, who helped co-found Solis while a Director at BioGenerator Ventures. “A key use of this growth financing is to acquire Fahr Greenhouse, an operational, wholesale greenhouse facility in St. Louis County. We plan to modify the Fahr facility over time to address Solis’ customer needs while keeping its core floriculture business operational for current customers. This will ensure efficient and scalable growth for Solis.”

This investment will allow the company to

Europe, Sustainability

IYM2023 to provide an opportunity to increase global production and promotion of millets as a major component of the food basket

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, organised an opening ceremony for the International Year of Millets – 2023 (IYM2023) in Rome, Italy. An Indian delegation led by Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State, Agriculture & Farmers Welfare along with Shubha Thakur, Joint Secretary (Crops), DA&FW and other senior officials were present at the opening ceremony. During the event, India’s ceremonial message by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conveyed by Sushri Shobha Karandlaje.

Sushri Shobha Karandlaje conveyed PM Modi’s compliments to the United Nations for declaring the Year 2023 as the International Year of Millets. PM, through his message, thanked the global community for supporting India’s proposal to mark the International Year of Millets (IYM) and said that India will steer the IYM2023 celebrations worldwide and organise campaigns to promote the cultivation and consumption of Millets, He also mentioned that Millets are good for the consumer, cultivator and climate. Millets are nutritious and can be cultivated in semi-arid zones besides consuming less water for irrigation. There is need for diversity on our land and our dining tables. Raising awareness to create ‘Millet Mindfulness’ is an important part of this movement.

Speaking on the occasion, Director General, FAO, QU Dongyu said the IYM2023 will provide with a unique opportunity to give visibility to crops that have great potential to strengthen global nutrition, food security, decent jobs & economies, while accelerating Climate Action. Millets are basically Asian crops, climate resilient, lead to sustainable development and help ensure Food Security & Nutrition for all, he said.

IYM2023 to provide an opportunity to increase

Acts & Schemes – Centre, Horticulture, India

Great potential to transform the entire horticulture ecosystem by creating last-mile connectivity with the use of multimodal transport

The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has prepared the Horticulture Cluster Development Programme (CDP), for which a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Narendra Singh Tomar, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister for its proper implementation. Tomar told the concerned officials that the main objective of the government is to promote the Agriculture sector in the country and to increase the income of the farmers by giving them a reasonable price for their produce, so the interest of the farmers should be paramount in the centre of any programme/scheme.

Tomar said that the overall development of horticulture in the country would be focused with the help of the implementation of the Cluster Development Programme and it would be emphasised that the farmers should be benefited from this programme. He said that the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Manipur, Mizoram, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand etc. should also be included in the list of 55 clusters, identified with their focus/main crops. Tomar said that the land available with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) affiliated institutions within the identified clusters should be utilised for the implementation of this programme. He also emphasised on crop diversification and linking this ambitious programme with the market for produce sale and capacity building.

The meeting was informed that the Cluster Development Programme has a great potential to transform the entire horticulture ecosystem by creating last-mile connectivity with the use of multimodal transport for efficient and timely evacuation and transportation of horticulture produce. The CDP will also create cluster-specific brands, while helping the economy, to integrate them into national and global value chains, thereby providing higher remuneration to farmers. The CDP will benefit around 10 lakh farmers and related stakeholders along the value chain. The CDP aims to improve exports of targeted crops by about 20 per cent and create cluster-specific brands to enhance the competitiveness of cluster crops. A lot of investment will also come in the horticulture sector through CDP.

During the meeting, Tomar released Cluster-wise 12 brochures containing details of opportunities to avail financial assistance through relevant government schemes/programmes. The brochures also provide brief information about focus crop, potential value addition and export destinations.

Great potential to transform the entire horticulture

India

Emphasises on adopting a holistic approach in the Indian agriculture sector

Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister while addressing the recently held Sustainable Agriculture Summit and Awards function said that the educated youth are getting attracted towards Agriculture sector and the government is continuously encouraging them through various schemes and programmes to join the Agriculture sector. He said this as the chief guest at the 2nd Sustainable Agriculture Summit & Awards organised by FICCI in New Delhi. 

Emphasising on adopting a holistic approach in the Indian agriculture sector, Tomar said that there is a need to have a balanced-holistic approach in the agriculture sector, which will lead to more rapid development of agriculture. Tomar also said that in the agriculture sector, instead of focusing on only a few crops, we should have a diversified vision for all crops, including increasing production and productivity.

Explaining the importance of millets (nutritious cereals) in the Indian tradition, Tomar said that the demand and consumption of millets is increasing globally. On the initiative of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the United Nations has declared 2023 as the ‘International Year of Millets’, for which preparations are being made by the government. Prime Minister Modi wants that nutri-cereals get respect again in the food platter, as it used to get earlier.

Emphasises on adopting a holistic approach in

World

Study provides critical information about key genes and processes controlling root branching in response to limited water availability, 

Plant scientists from the University of Nottingham have discovered a novel water sensing mechanism that they have called ‘Hydro-Signalling’, which shows how hormone movement is linked with water fluxes.

Researchers have discovered how plant roots adapt their shape to maximise their uptake of water, pausing branching when they lose contact with water and only resuming once they reconnect with moisture, ensuring they can survive even in the driest conditions. Using X-ray micro-CT imaging researchers were able to reveal that roots alter their shape in response to external moisture availability by linking the movement of water with plant hormone signals that control root branching.

The study provides critical information about the key genes and processes controlling root branching in response to limited water availability, helping scientists design novel approaches to manipulate root architecture to enhance water capture and yield in crops.

Dr Poonam Mehra, postdoctoral fellow, from the School of Biosciences explains: “When roots are in contact with moisture, a key hormone signal (auxin) moves inwards with water, triggering new root branches. However, when roots lose contact with moisture, they rely on internal water sources that mobilises another hormone signal (ABA) outwards, which acts to block the inwards movement of the branching signal. This simple, yet elegant mechanism enables plant roots to fine tune their shape to local conditions and optimise foraging.”

Study provides critical information about key genes

Agro Universities, India

Emphasis given on the need for processing of agro-based products 

The ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib organised two-day Kisan Mela-2022. Zoramthanga, Chief Minister of Mizoram and Chief Guest of the event emphasised on the need for processing of agro-based products as the state is blessed with good climate and land suitable for varieties of crops and animals. The Chief Minister stressed the importance of coordination in product, transportation, processing and marketing for the state to prosper and for which the farmers need guidance from the experts.

Zoramthanga also laid the foundation stone of Type II residential quarters. Four books, one technical bulletin and two leaflets were released by the dignitaries. Input distribution of one turmeric grinding machine, two water pumps, one knapsack sprayer, one jalkund and 40 numbers of Vanaraja chicks were distributed among the selected TSP farmers.

The inaugural function was followed an Interface meeting of different departmental officials from ICAR and Agricultural and allied state Government officials.

In the mela Government organisations and self-help and farmers’ group displayed their products and technologies/innovations in 21 different stalls. About 400 farmers from different parts of Kolasib district participated in the Mela.

Emphasis given on the need for processing

Agro chems – Pesticides, Agro Universities, Agrotech, India

1000+ farmers participated in demonstration programmes

ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack held a series of demonstrations on Drone Technology in different villages of Cuttack district covering 108 acres of rice crop area in 9 villages belonging to 4 blocks of Cuttack district, Odisha. More than 1000 farmers participated in demonstration programmes and farmers were briefed on usefulness and mechanism operation of drone technology especially in crops like rice considering its wetland nature and amount of pesticides being applied.

Department of Agriculture and Farmers welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India has sanctioned central assistance to ICAR for demonstrating Drone Technology for implementation of Component number 1 under Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM). 

Under this mission, it has been directed to conduct large scale demonstrations to promote use of Drone Technology in agriculture.

1000+ farmers participated in demonstration programmesICAR-National Rice

India

Several entrepreneurships come forward to adopt BNH

To augment green fodder availability in arid Rajasthan the ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI) has attempted a unique intervention that comprised harvesting of rainwater from building roof-top and solar energy for utilising harvested rainwater for growing of Bajra Napier Hybrid (BNH) having high biomass potential from a unit of land. Legumes were also grown in kharif and lucerne in rabi seasons for increasing the nutritive value of the BNH fodder. The BNH was planted at 3×1m spacing and legume fodder crops were grown in the inter-row spaces during kharif and rabi.

The farmers of the desert districts of Rajasthan have benefitted a lot from the BNH crops not only in assured fodder supply but also earning by selling of green fodder, planting material and many others have established commercial fodder farms that give them revenue of more than Rs 500,000 ha-1. The demonstration field of ICAR-CAZRI remained an attraction point for the farmers, personnel from line departments and other dignitaries. Several entrepreneurships from arid region of Rajasthan have come forward to adopt BNH.

Several entrepreneurships come forward to adopt BNHTo

Agrotech, Company News

Evoca helps sustainably control economically important fungal diseases such as Botrytis and powdery mildew in fruits and vegetables.

Novozymes and Biotalys, an Agricultural Technology (AgTech) company protecting crops and food with protein-based biocontrol solutions have announced the successful outcome of the feasibility study for Evoca™*, Biotalys’ first proprietary biocontrol product candidate. 

Novozymes obtained proof of concept for a new manufacturing process that offers potential significant cost of goods and scaling advantages, thereby broadening the commercial potential of Evoca as a novel biofungicide.

Evoca is Biotalys’ first innovative protein-based biofungicide developed on the company’s AGROBODY Foundry™ platform which platform allows Biotalys to discover and develop novel biological food protection solutions that combine high efficacy, consistency and safety, with new modes of action to fight resistance. 

Evoca helps sustainably control economically important fungal diseases such as Botrytis and powdery mildew in fruits and vegetables.

“Thanks to its leading protein fermentation expertise, Novozymes has been able to further increase the efficiency of production for Evoca,” said Patrice Sellès, the CEO of Biotalys. “We will now work on a deeper partnership with Novozymes and explore strategic supply and commercialization agreements for the future generation of Evoca while continuing our ongoing internal development activities.”
“Now one step closer to large-scale production, Biotalys and Novozymes have successfully collaborated to provide the industry and growers new ways to safely control damaging pests and diseases and deliver our shared goal of providing highly effective solutions so growers can sustainably feed the world.” Noted Thomas Batchelor, Vice President, Agriculture Marketing and Strategy of Novozymes. 

Evoca helps sustainably control economically important fungal

Company News, India, Organic

Curated ‘Farm experiences’ create widespread appeal for growing and harvesting produce 

MharoKhet an experiential farm, has collaborated with RV On, India’s leading caravan company, all set to take visitors to its fields in a luxury ride for a tranquil caravan camping experience.

A forty-acre experiential farm in Jodhpur, MharoKhet is home to more than 100 varieties of natural and organic crops and provides soothing experiences in the lap of nature. The Farm Tour and The Culinary Trail, its curated experiences, are an exciting way to explore all that the farm has to offer: from growing and harvesting produce, to cooking and dining. 

“We wanted to make a guest’s journey to our fields as experiential as the fields themselves, and what better way, than to do a luxurious road trip with the option of stopping anywhere one may fancy – could be for a herd of camels or a lush yellow field of mustard plants.” Said Rajnush Agarwal, MharoKhet.

Curated 'Farm experiences' create widespread appeal for

Agrotech, India, Seeds

Centre is setting up 10,000 new FPOs, for which a provision of INR 6,865 crore has been made

In a virtual address to the National Conference on Enhancing Agricultural Productivity on the topic ‘Integration of Improved Seeds and Agri Inputs’, organised by the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM)  in New Delhi, Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, said, “Agriculture sector is the backbone of our country and our rural economy and agriculture has such strength that the country can easily overcome adverse situations.” . 

There is a need to work in this direction to transform agriculture into advanced farming, technology should be used in agriculture and its continuity should be maintained, the stronger and more profitable the Agriculture sector is, the stronger the country will be.

Tomar said that the government is working to reduce the gap between farmers and the market, providing infrastructure in rural areas and eliminate the role of middlemen. He said that the number of small farmers in the country is more, who have small acreage and do not have money for investment; for such farmers, the Central Government is setting up 10,000 new FPOs, for which a provision of INR 6,865 crore has been made and small farmers are being mobilised.  

Farmers should do group farming, so that the input costs can be reduced, production quality improves and small farmers can shift to remunerative crops and get the price for their produce on their own terms.

Centre is setting up 10,000 new FPOs,

Agro Universities, India

Scientists play a key role in making Madhya Pradesh a leading state in agriculture

The 59th Foundation Day function of Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University, Jabalpur was held online and the Chief Guest, Narendra Singh Tomar said on the occasion that if Madhya Pradesh has emerged amongst the leading states in the field of agriculture today, the role of Agricultural University, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and Indian Council of Agricultural Research lies at its strong foundation.

Tomar said that the Jabalpur Agricultural University is known across the country as an Institute of Excellence and this is a matter of pride for the people of the state working in the agriculture sector. Ever since this university was established in the year 1964, it has made a great contribution in advancing and upgrading the agricultural sector in the state. Madhya Pradesh has repeatedly received the prestigious Krishi Karman Award in the field of agriculture. 

Tomar said that farmers have to depend on nature in spite of the availability of sufficient resources. In this regard, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has provided a shield to the farmers in the form of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. Claims worth INR 1.22 lakh crore has been settled against crop loss to farmers during the last 6 years.

Scientists play a key role in making

Acts & Schemes – Centre, India, Live Stock, Organic

Various schemes being implemented by the State and Central Government to  benefit the farmers and livestock keepers in particular

ICAR-AICRP on Forage Crops and Utilisation, Jhansi organised ‘Forage Day’ today across the country in 35 centres of ICAR Institutes, SAUs, CAUs, Regional Stations and NGOs to sensitise and impart basic understanding about different forage species (traditional fodder crops, range grass species, non-conventional fodder etc.)

As a part of this event, “Forage Day” was also organised by ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi. Ram Naresh Tewari, Independent Director, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd was the Chief Guest who briefed about the various schemes being implemented by the State and Central Government for the benefit of farmers in general and livestock keepers in particular. 

He also put emphasis on the importance of livestock in natural and organic farming and stressed upon the need of increasing farmer’s income and building a strong India.

Various schemes being implemented by the State