ICAR’s 97th AGM sets roadmap for farmer-centric, demand-driven agricultural research

New Delhi: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has outlined a stronger farmer-centric and demand-driven research agenda, with a focus on raising farm incomes, accelerating technology transfer and strengthening India’s position from farm to global markets. The roadmap emerged at the 97th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the ICAR Society, held at the National Agricultural Science Complex (NASC), New Delhi, under the chairmanship of Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Agriculture Must Move From Production to Farm-to-Market Value Addressing the AGM, Chouhan said that India’s vision of a developed nation cannot be achieved without a developed agriculture sector. He called for a shift from a production-focused approach towards an agricultural ecosystem that connects the farm with global markets. According to him, agricultural research must be driven by actual demand and aligned with the needs of farmers, markets and consumers. “Research alone is not enough,” Chouhan said, stressing that the right research must address the right problem at the right time and reach farmers quickly. The Minister also called for research outcomes to be measured by their practical benefits and impact on farmers. Integrated Farming Seen as Key to Raising Small Farmers’ Incomes...