Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) inaugurated the “7th Annual Review Workshop of National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)” organized by the ICAR-Central Research Institute on Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad at the National Agricultural Science Centre Complex, New Delhi.
Dr. Mohapatra urged the farmers to adopt the farming practices in accordance with the changing climatic conditions. He accentuated on capacity building of the farmers that would help to enhance their income. He stressed on encouraging the young scientists for carrying out their researches on climate resilient agriculture. The Director General highlighted about the converting of climate resilient villages into the climate resilient clusters. He also stressed on accelerating the climate change research towards developing the resilient technologies and their up-scaling due to the increased frequency and intensity of weather extremes. He stated that the experiences from the NICRA climate resilient villages lead to the up-scaling of such concept in the states like Maharashtra (PoCRA) where the programme is implemented in 5,000 villages. Dr. Mohapatra also underlined about the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the ICAR and NABARD for the up-scaling of resilient villages. In this venture, the ICAR will be the knowledge partner.
Dr. K. Alagusundaram, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Engineering & Natural Resource Management), ICAR stated about the successful adoption of 151 villages under the NICRA Project that are now carrying out the climate resilient agricultural practices efficiently.
Dr. Anand Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General (Horticultural & Crops Sciences), ICAR underlined about the various crops varieties that are suitable for growing in the climate resilient conditions. He also emphasized on making the farmers aware about the various new and advanced climate resilient-friendly technologies developed by the ICAR.
Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR & Director, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi opined to transform the village level planning to the District level planning in order to succeed in the target of achieving the climate resilient agricultural practices all over the country. He urged on making the farmers aware about the new technological innovations of ICAR so that they can make wise utilization of such technologies in their farming practices.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. Suresh Kumar Chaudhari, ADG, Soil & Water Management, ICAR outlined about the main objectives of the two-day workshop.
Dr. G. Ravindra Chary, Director, ICAR-CRIDA outlined the major achievements made by the NICRA villages. He also highlighted the various factors that constrain the adoption of climate resilient technologies in some of the villages and states of the country.
One Mobile App and Publications were released during the occasion.
A total of 240 delegates from NICRA partner Institutes of 40 ICAR Institutes, 121 Krishi Vigyan Kendras, IITs and State Agricultural Universities are participating in the two-day Review Workshop.
