India to Adopt Science-led Pathway for Agricultural Development

India's Union Minister of Agriculture Sharad Pawar lauded the proactive initiatives taken by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) scientists to help achieve a robust agriculture to ensure food, nutritional, and livelihood security for a growing population. While addressing 85th Annual General Meeting of the ICAR on 15 January 2014, he appreciated the growth and development of agriculture during the decade. "The efforts of scientists in developing high yielding, input efficient, disease tolerant varieties/hybrids along with their widespread adoption by the farmers are visible in increasing farm productivity, quality and quantity. In the last ten years, our food grain production increased from 198 million tonnes in 2004-05 to 259 million tonnes by 2011-12, at an average of about 6 million tonnes per annum," the Minister said.

Food grain production has continuously increased despite a virtual ceiling on cultivable area, Pawar added. He  identified critical areas in agriculture that need urgent attention and expected a quick action by ICAR through enhancement in synergy and partnership with farmers and industries. The Minister informed that India's export of agricultural and allied products has increased from Rs. 1,78,800 crore in 2011-12 to Rs. 2,01,000 crore in 2012-13, registering a growth of nearly 11%."

For more information visit http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=102515 and http://www.icar.org.in/node/7217. A copy of the Minister's speech is available at http://www.icar.org.in/files/AM-Speech-AGM-2014.pdf.