PM Modi Launches 35 Crop Varieties With Special Traits Developed By ICAR To Address Climate Change, Malnutrition

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (28 September) dedicated to the nation 35 crop varieties with special traits through video conference.

The crop varieties with special traits have been developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to address the twin challenges of climate change and malnutrition.

Thirty-five such crop varieties with special traits like climate resilience and higher nutrient content have been developed in the year 2021. These include a drought tolerant variety of chickpea, wilt and sterility mosaic resistant pigeonpea, early maturing variety of soybean, disease resistant varieties of rice and biofortified varieties of wheat, pearl millet, maize and chickpea, quinoa, buckwheat, winged bean and faba bean.

These special traits crop varieties also include those that address the anti-nutritional factors found in some crops that adversely affect human and animal health. Examples of such varieties include Pusa Double Zero Mustard 33, first Canola quality hybrid RCH 1 with <2% erucic acid and <30 ppm glucosinolates and a soybean variety free from two anti-nutritional factors namely Kunitz trypsin inhibitor and lipoxygenase. Other varieties with special traits have been developed in soybean, sorghum, and baby corn, among others.

PM Modi also dedicated to the nation the newly constructed campus of the National Institute of Biotic Stress Management in Chhattisgarh's Raipur.

On this occasion, PM Modi also distributed the Green Campus Award to agricultural universities. He interacted with farmers who use innovative methods and address the gathering, a PMO release said.

PM Modi said that the government is making efforts to get good prices for farmers with many initiatives like access to the market, good quality seeds, soil health cards etc.

Addressing the occasion, PM Modi said in the last 6-7 years, science and technology are being used on a priority basis to solve the challenges related to agriculture.

”Our focus is very high on more nutritious seeds, adapted to new conditions, especially in changing climates,'' he said.

PM Modi also recalled the massive locust attack in various states last year, in the midst of the Corona pandemic.

India had tackled this attack by making a lot of efforts, saving farmers from incurring too much damage, he said.

PM Modi stressed that whenever farmers and agriculture get a safety net, their growth becomes rapid.

He informed that 11 crore Soil Health Cards were issued for the protection of the land.

PM Modi listed the farmer-friendly initiatives of the government such as campaigns to complete about 100 pending irrigation projects for providing water security to the farmers, providing new varieties of seeds to farmers to protect crops from diseases thus getting a higher yield.

He added that along with increasing the MSP, the procurement process was also improved so that more and more farmers can get the benefit.

More than 430 lakh metric tonnes of wheat has been procured in the Rabi season and farmers have been paid more than 85 thousand crore rupees. Wheat procurement centres were increased more than three times during the pandemic.

PM Modi said by connecting farmers with technology, the government has made it easier for them to get help from banks.

Today farmers are getting weather information in a better way. Recently, more than 2 crore farmers have been given Kisan Credit Cards, he said.

He said that due to climate change, new types of pests, new diseases, epidemics are emerging, because of this, there is a big threat to the health of humans and livestock and crops are also being affected. Intensive continued research on these aspects is necessary.

He added that when science, government and society work together, results will be better. Such an alliance of farmers and scientists will strengthen the country in dealing with new challenges, he said.

PM Modi said efforts are being made to take the farmer out of the crop-based income system and encourage them for value-addition and other farming options.

PM Modi stressed the need to further develop millets and other grains with solutions from science and research. He said that the purpose is that they can be grown in different parts of the country according to the local needs.

He asked people to be prepared to use the opportunities provided by the UN declaring the coming year as the Year of the Millet.

PM Modi said along with our ancient farming traditions, marching towards the future is equally important.

He said modern technology and new farming tools are at the core of future farming.

“Efforts to promote modern agricultural machines and equipment are showing results today,” he added.