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HomePosts Tagged "National Seed Association of India (NSAI)"
Agribiotechnology, India, R&D, Textile industry

Currently, 16000 acres are under HDPS cultivation in Maharashtra, with nearly 6664 farmers participating through PPP in the special project on cotton initiative involving CICR, 10 private seed companies.

 India has about 12 million hectares under cotton cultivation and yet it lags behind in average yield with countries like the US, Brazil, and Australia that leverage biotechnology and precision agronomy. Maharashtra, a key cotton-producing state with an area of 4 million ha, has been particularly struggling with stagnant productivity, prompting experts, industry leaders, and policymakers to push for science-driven solutions.

At the ICAR National Workshop on Cotton Yield Improvement through HDPS in Nagpur, organized by the ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) with support from the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) and the National Seed Association of India (NSAI), experts stressed the need for adopting the High-Density Planting System (HDPS). This agronomic method increases plant population per acre while enabling mechanization, reducing labour dependency, improving yields and profitability for farmers.

“HDPS is a crucial step towards transforming India’s cotton sector. By enabling higher plant density in low productivity shallow to medium soils and enabling mechanization, it increases yields while reducing labour dependency. The government’s financial incentives reflect a strong push for modernizing cotton farming,” said Dr Y G Prasad, Director, ICAR-CICR, Nagpur.

Currently, 16000 acres are under HDPS cultivation in Maharashtra, with nearly 6664 farmers participating through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the special project on cotton initiative involving CICR, 10 private seed companies, and the Union Ministries of Agriculture and Textiles. The central government’s Rs 16,000 per hectare incentive has further encouraged adoption. HDPS boosts productivity by 30-50 per cent per acre, facilitates mechanized harvesting, and integrates modern tools like pneumatic planters, boom sprayers, and mechanical pickers.

Farmers in Maharashtra are also advocating for next-generation cotton varieties, widely used in countries like the US, Australia, and Brazil. As pest resistance evolves, experts warn that India should embrace newer technologies to make cotton cultivation internationally competitive.

“While Bt cotton has sustained productivity, changing pest dynamics demand innovation. The global cotton industry has embraced advanced technologies in cotton pest management, and Indian farmers deserve the same opportunities,” said Dr M Ramasami, Chairman, Rasi Seeds.

Technical Textile Mission (MTTM) of Maharashtra aims to strengthen the state’s cotton value chain, with 30-40 lakh cotton farmers expected to play a crucial role in supplying raw materials for this initiative. Experts emphasized that increasing cotton productivity is critical not just for agriculture but also for India’s textile industry, which has faced raw material shortages since the pandemic.

“HDPS is key to making cotton farming resilient and future-ready. By integrating mechanization and optimizing inputs, it will drive both economic and environmental sustainability,” said Dr C D Mayee, former Chairman, Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB).

The workshop also saw discussions on two years of HDPS trial data compiled in a CICR booklet. Scientists from CICR, CIRCOT, collaborating with the private sector, presented insights on productivity improvements, pest management, and mechanization. Experts also explored ways to enhance fibre quality, improve ginning processes, and keep India’s cotton industry globally competitive.

With continued government investment and industry collaboration, experts agreed that HDPS, backed by scientific advancements, is crucial to ensuring a more productive, sustainable, and globally competitive future for India’s cotton sector.

Currently, 16000 acres are under HDPS cultivation

Agribusiness, India, Interaction, Seeds, Soil Health

Experts had a high-impact brainstorming session on “Public-Private Partnership in Agriculture: A Way Forward” organised by TAAS In collaboration with ICAR, FSII and NSAI.

Public private partnerships could hold the key to address many pressing challenges of agriculture including diffusion of innovation to farmers, scaling -up research and helping farmers get the right market linkages, experts said at a conference in New Delhi.

The Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS), in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII), and the National Seed Association of India (NSAI), organised a high-impact brainstorming session at the National Agricultural Science Complex (NASC), Pusa Campus titled “Public-Private Partnership in Agriculture: A Way Forward.”

Currently, India’s agricultural sector employs over 50 per cent of the country’s workforce and contributes about 17 per cent to the nation’s GDP. However, to sustain and boost this contribution, it is essential to adopt new technologies and practices. The private sector has shown tremendous potential in this regard, especially through advancements in biotechnology and improved seed varieties. By 2022, the adoption of genetically modified Bt Cotton had resulted in a 24 per cent increase in yield and a 50 per cent reduction in pesticide use, showcasing the transformative impact of private partnership.

Over 60 key stakeholders, including scientists, researchers, policy makers, and private sector representatives participated. The focus was on developing a clear Road Map to enhance Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the agriculture sector to scale innovations for impact and benefit to farmers.

Dr RS Paroda, Founder Chairman, TAAS and Former Secretary DARE and DG, ICAR emphasized an urgent need for PPP collaboration, stating, “Indian agriculture is at a crossroads. To meet the increasing demand for food and to address the challenges of climate change, we must leverage the strengths of both public and private sectors. Effective PPPs are essential to upscale and outscale innovations for sustainable agriculture.” He further added “The current public agricultural research investment is grossly insufficient, therefore, there is a need to explore the options to enhance agricultural research investment in a partnership mode. We need to accelerate annual growth in agriculture to at least 4 per cent, thus contributing around USD 1 trillion from agriculture to achieve India’s projected USD 5 trillion economy”

The Chief Guest Dr T. Mohapatra, Chairperson, PPV&FRA emphasized that public-private partnerships are effective means to address the existing challenges and unlock new opportunities to enhance agricultural growth and development.

Ajai Rana, Chairman, FSII, highlighted the critical role of seed industry in transforming agriculture. “The private seed sector has already made significant contributions, especially in the area of genetically modified crops like Bt Cotton. However, there is immense potential for further advancements through strategic PPPs. Our goal is to develop and disseminate high-quality seed varieties that can revolutionize Indian agriculture,” he remarked.

Stakeholders were unanimous in realising considerable strength in both public and private research institutions. However, such potential can effectively be tapped through highly focused PPP Projects of national importance. What urgently effective collaboration in research, access and benefit sharing and the enabling policies.

Ram Kaundinya, Advisor, FSII, added, “Market-driven research and the adoption of advanced technologies such as genome editing are crucial. Through strengthened PPPs, we can ensure that innovations in high priority areas are not only developed but reach our farmers soon for enhancing productivity and profitability.”

Experts had a high-impact brainstorming session on