Dr ML Jat addresses agricultural innovation at ICAR event

Dr ML Jat, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General (DG) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), visited the ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI) to speak on “Improved Agricultural Practices for Atmanirbhar Bharat” at the Crop Harvest Day program.

Dr Jat emphasized the importance of natural resource management, sustainable agriculture, and innovation in India’s agricultural research.

He noted the transformation of CSSRI from barren, saline land to a national leader in reclaiming saline and alkaline soils, showcasing advancements in Indian agricultural science.

Dr Jat discussed the challenges of soil health, water resources, energy use, and climate change, advocating for science-driven solutions and referencing a research partnership with CIMMYT.

One significant outcome of their collaboration is no-tillage farming, introduced in 2009, which has led to energy savings, improved soil health, and reduced fertilizer requirements.

Dr Jat encouraged farmers to adopt these technologies to increase incomes, contribute to self-reliance, and conserve resources. He was joined by Dr SK Sanwal, Director of CSSRI, Dr AK Nayak, Deputy Director General of ICAR, and Dr Anuradha Agarwal, Project Director of Agricultural Knowledge Management.

Prior to this event, Dr Jat also visited ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) and ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research to review project progress.

Regarding the wheat season, Dr Jat shared positive news, indicating a 6 lakh hectare increase in wheat area this year compared to the previous year, potentially surpassing last year’s production of 117.9 million tonnes.