A review meeting of the progress of Foreign-Aided Projects under NRM division of ICAR, New Delhi was held at ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna on January 4, 2025, under the chairmanship of Dr. S.K. Chaudhari, Deputy Director General (NRM, ICAR). During the meeting, more than 20 projects were reviewed, and conducted in collaboration with international organisations like IRRI, CIMMYT, and IWMI etc with approximately 120 participants from more than 10 ICAR institutes.
During this programme, Dr. Chaudhari reviewed the presentations by Principal Investigators (PIs) of respective projects, discussing their strategies, challenges and potential for scaling up successful interventions and also highlighted the pivotal role of foreign-funded initiatives in addressing critical challenges in resource conservation and agricultural sustainability. He underscored the importance of leveraging international collaboration and funding to develop innovative strategies and technologies for sustainable agricultural practices, particularly in regions facing significant ecological and resource management issues.
The workshop brought together with the distinguished panel of speakers, including esteemed directors such as Dr. Masood Ali (Former Director, ICAR-IIPR), Dr. C.L. Acharya (Former Director, ICAR-IISS), Dr. J.S. Mishra (ICAR-DWR, Jabalpur), Dr. N.G. Patil (ICAR-NBBS LUP), Dr. Bikas Das (ICAR-NRC Litchi), Dr. A. Sarangi (ICAR-IIWM), Dr. Sunil Kumar (ICAR-IIFSR, Modipuram), Dr. Pradip Dey (ICAR-ATARI, Kolkata), Dr. B. P. Bhatt, PS, NRM Division, ICAR, New Delhi, Dr. R.K. Jat (BISA), Dr. S.P. Poonia (CIMMYT) etc.
During this program, Dr. Anup Das, Director, ICAR-RCER, Patna also highlighted the importance of fostering international partnerships for advancing agricultural research and ensuring long-term sustainability in the management of natural resources in these regions.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including scientists, project leaders, and representatives of ongoing foreign-aided projects, to evaluate progress, share insights, and chart the way forward for enhancing the impact of these initiatives. Various dignitaries’ involvement in reviewing these foreign-aided projects reflects the commitment to ensuring that the resources are utilized effectively to promote long-term sustainability in natural resource management across India.
The program was successfully co-ordinated by Dr. Santosh Kumar, Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Dr. Shivani, Dr. Rachana Dubey, Dr. Arti Kumari, Dr. Saurabh Kumar, Umesh Kumar Mishra and other staff of the institute. It ended with a vote of thanks from Dr. Santosh Kumar, organizing secretary of the program.
