Standing Committee finds ICAR working on 85 field crops for water efficiency

Who it concerns: The report concerns the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), State Departments of Agriculture, and the general public, specifically small and marginal farmers in arid and resource-poor regions.

What the committee found

• The Committee recommended strengthening the ICAR research and development ecosystem, prioritizing breeding for location-specific drought tolerance and high water-use efficiency, and implementing a long-term mission for water-efficient seed varieties.
• The Committee recommended using modern tools like gene editing for genetic improvement of crops, while following bio-safety measures to secure human health, biodiversity, and the environment.
• The Committee observed that while there is no shortage of breeder seeds, timely availability of quality seeds remains an issue for small and marginal farmers, who often rely on the informal seed sector.
• The Committee recommended strengthening the seed production and distribution network to meet demand for quality and affordable seeds, and urged States to promote the adoption of climate-resilient and water-efficient varieties.
• The Committee recommended designing cropping systems based on regional water availability and establishing a legal and regulatory mechanism to guide farmers on suitable crop choices in critical and over-exploited water zones.
• The Committee noted the absence of a permanent coordination mechanism among agriculture-linked ministries and recommended constituting an apex body or committee to coordinate across relevant ministries, departments, and agencies.

Also in the document

• The Committee observed that ICAR is working on 85 field crops under the Crop Science for Food and Nutritional Security Scheme.
• The Committee noted that gene-edited crops such as soyabean and tomato are already commercially cultivated in the USA and Japan, respectively.
• The Committee identified that farmers in arid and resource-poor regions heavily rely on the informal seed sector to meet their requirements.