Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched 109 high-yielding, climate-resilient varieties of crops in the national capital’s Pusa complex.
During the launch, the PM interacted with agricultural scientists and farmers at the event, where he explained about the potential benefits of the new varieties. The launches are aligned with government's focus on a “lab to land” approach so that “science reaches the farmer directly”.
The launch of these varieties is part of the farm ministry’s 100-day agenda and was announced by Chouhan soon after assuming charge. The ICAR continually conducts research and develops newer traits and seeds of all key crops.
He also released seeds and planting materials at three sites in demonstration fields of the state-run Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Sufficient investments towards climate-resilient agriculture have become urgent for the world’s second-biggest grower of wheat and rice, and the largest producer of onion, sugar and banana. Intense heatwaves and an irregular monsoon have dented output of crops, such as wheat and pulses, in the past two years, stoking food prices.
The varieties, which are also biofortified, include 34 field crops and 27 horticultural traits. The field crops include millets, forage crops, oilseeds, pulses, sugarcane, cotton and a clutch of fibre plants.
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