As part of ongoing and planned collaborations with agriculture research institutions to develop high-yield, disease-resistant seed varieties, BBSSL has signed Memorandum of Agreements/Memorandum of Understandings with following leading research organizations for receiving genetically high potential good quality breeder seeds of various crops and varieties for further multiplication of Foundation and Breeder Seed:

1. 1. ICAR-Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi
   2. Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana (PAU), Punjab
   3. ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR), Ludhiana, Punjab
   4. ICAR-Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR), Hyderabad, Telangana.
   5. G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand
   6. Zonal Technology Management & Business Planning and Development Unit IARI, PUSA, New Delhi.

Further, BBSSL is in dialogue with following national and international research organizations, seeking their support in development of high-yielding, disease-resistant, and trait-specific varieties/hybrids in some of the targeted crops suitable for Indian Agriculture conditions:

1. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad
2. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Varanasi
3. Indian Grass and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI), Jhansi
4. Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Varanasi
5. Indian Institute of Pulse Research (IIPR), Kanpur
6. World Vegetable Centre, AVRDC, Thailand
7. Suwan Farm, (National Corn and Sorghum Research Center), Kasetsart University, Thailand
8. Weerachai Seeds, officially known as WS Seeds (Thailand)

In India less than 50% farmers use quality seeds and the rest of the farmers are dependent on Farm Saved Seeds (FSS). To reduce this gap of more than 50%, BBSSL envisages to carry out all activities viz production, testing, certification, procurement, processing, storage, branding, labelling and packaging of two generations of seeds i.e., foundation and certified through the network of the cooperatives. The breeder seeds will be sourced from Public Sector Research Organizations and International Research Institutes i.e., ICRISAT, IRRI, CIMMYT etc. To realize its objective, BBSSL will leverage various schemes and policies of different Ministries/Departments of the Government of India in a focused manner through ‘Whole of the Government Approach’. As such, BBSSL will focus on timely availability of authentic quality seeds to the farmers in brand name ‘Bharat Beej’ through all available marketing channels including private.

This was stated by the Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

 

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RK/VV/ASH/RR/PR/PS/254

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