New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated 35 crop varieties with special traits to the nation today through video conferencing in a pan-India programme organised at all ICAR Institutes, State and Central Agricultural Universities, and Krishi Vigyan Kendra.
During the programme, the Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation the newly constructed campus of the National Institute of Biotic Stress Tolerance in Raipur. The Institute has been established to take up the basic and strategic research in biotic stresses, develop human resources and provide policy support. The institute has started PG courses from the academic session 2020-21.
Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar and Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel were also present on the occasion.
After dedicating the variety of crops, PM Modi addressed the event. Here are the key highlights of his speech:
- PM Modi said that the country's focus is currently on nutritious seeds with the use of modern tools. He said, "In the last 6-7 yrs, Science & Technology is being used on priority for solutions to the challenges in agriculture. Especially in the changing season, in line with new situations, our focus is on nutritious seeds."
- PM Modi also focused on the challenges faced by farmers, specially locust attacks, and said that last year, during the fight against Coronavirus, swarms of locusts attacked several states but the government made efforts to stop the attacks and save farmers from suffering huge losses.
- Prime Minister also spoke on the security cover for farmers. He said, "farming develops rapidly when it gets protection, when it gets a security cover. To provide security to the land of farmers, 11 crore Soil Health Cards were given to them in different phases."
- PM Modi also emphasized the fact that new diseases and endemics are appearing due to climate change which is not only posing a great crisis to the health of humans and livestock but also affecting crops. Hence, PM urged intensive research on these issues.
- The Prime Minister further said both farmers and scientists can work together and improve the agriculture sector. He said, "When Science, Government, and Society will work together, we will get even better results. This nexus of farmers and scientists will further strengthen the nation to face new challenges."
- PM Modi said that along with our ancient tradition of farming, March to Future is equally important. He said, " When we talk about the future its core is modern technology, new farming tools. Efforts to promote modern agricultural machines and equipment are showing results today."
- PM also said that centre worked to provide water security to the farmers and started irrigation projects, campaigned to complete about 100 irrigation projects which have been pending for decades. To protect crops from diseases the govt provided new varieties of seeds to farmers for a higher yield
PM distributes Green Campus Award
PM Modi also distributed Green Campus Award to Agricultural Universities as well as interacted with the farmers who use innovative methods.
The Green Campus Awards has been initiated to motivate the State and Central Agricultural Universities to develop or adopt such practices that will render their campuses more green and clean, and motivate students to get involved in Swachh Bharat Mission, Waste to Wealth Mission and community connect as per the National Education Policy-2020.
35 Crop Varieties with 'Special Traits'
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 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, 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.
