The 98^th Foundation Day of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research was celebrated today at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium, NASC Complex, New Delhi. Addressing the program, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan presented a comprehensive roadmap for 'Viksit Krishi and Samruddh Kisan' as a key pillar of Viksit Bharat 2047.

The Minister announced a series of ambitious goals, including the development of 100 Climate Smart Villages, ensuring that ICAR technologies reach 100 million farmers, introducing 'One Institute-One Grand Innovation', establishing an ICAR Open Digital Knowledge Platform, strengthening laws against counterfeit seeds and pesticides, and making ICAR financially self-reliant through innovation and technology commercialization. He also shared the joy of regularising the services of over 150 ICAR employees for the first time.

Farmers Are the Soul, Scientists Are the Brain

In his address, Shri Chouhan said that the Foundation Day was not merely a commemorative occasion but an opportunity to pay tribute to generations of scientists whose dedication transformed scarcity into self-reliance and challenges into solutions.

Describing the partnership between farmers and scientists, he remarked, "If farmers are the soul of agriculture, scientists are its brain. Miracles happen in our fields only when government policy, farmers' hard work and scientific talent work together." He fondly remembered several eminent agricultural scientists and former ICAR leaders, acknowledging their contribution in building India's strong agricultural foundation.

Regular Appointment Letters for Over 150 Employees

The Union Minister highlighted that more than 150 ICAR employees had been granted regular appointments for the first time. Calling it the correction of a long-standing injustice, he said the entire ICAR family shared the joy and emotional satisfaction of seeing these employees finally receive their rightful recognition. He congratulated all newly regularised employees and described it as a significant milestone for the organisation.

Beyond Production: Time to Focus on Quality

While expressing satisfaction over India's remarkable growth in foodgrain, horticulture, milk and fisheries production, Shri Chouhan cautioned against complacency. He stressed that the next phase of India's agricultural growth must be guided by the principle of "Quality over Quantity" to ensure better public health and stronger competitiveness in global markets. Referring to the challenges posed by El Niño and climate change, he called for accelerated work on climate-resilient agriculture, district-specific planning and agricultural risk management. He also noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India is gaining access to new global markets and trade agreements, making it imperative to produce high-quality, export-oriented and health-friendly agricultural products.*

Seven Major Goals Announced by the Union Minister

1. Development of 100 Climate Smart Villages

Shri Chouhan announced that before ICAR completes its 100th year, the organisation and its institutes should jointly develop at least 100 Climate Smart Villages. These villages will demonstrate climate-smart agriculture, integrated farming systems, water and soil conservation, and practical risk-reduction models to help farmers adapt successfully to changing climatic conditions.

2. One Institute-One Grand Innovation

Setting a clear target for all ICAR institutes, the Minister said that every institute should deliver at least one transformational innovation within the next two years under the "One Institute-One Grand Innovation" initiative. The innovation could be a new crop variety, vaccine, digital tool or climate-smart agricultural solution capable of creating a significant national impact and bringing tangible improvements to farmers' lives.

3. Reaching 100 Million Farmers with ICAR Technologies

Shri Chouhan said that by ICAR's centenary year, the organisation should aim to ensure that its scientific technologies, innovations and modern agricultural solutions reach at least 100 million farmers across the country. He described this as one of the most significant milestones towards achieving the vision of Viksit Krishi and Samruddh Kisan under Viksit Bharat 2047.

4. "Mission ICAR-100" and a New Role for Krishi Vigyan Kendras

The Minister proposed that the next two years be observed as "Mission ICAR-100." Under the mission, Krishi Vigyan Kendra should evolve beyond being training centres into innovation hubs, climate advisory centres, startup support centres and farmer technology demonstration centres. He further proposed a fortnight-long nationwide outreach programme to celebrate ICAR Foundation Day among farmers, during which every KVK should visit at least 100 villages to demonstrate ICAR research and technologies on a large scale.

5. ICAR Open Digital Knowledge Platform

Shri Chouhan proposed the creation of an ICAR Open Digital Knowledge Platform to make ICAR technologies, scientific advisories and instructional videos freely accessible on farmers' mobile phones. Emphasising a mobile-first approach to technology transfer, he said farmers should be able to access soil testing guidance, crop advisories, weather forecasts and market information directly from their fields through their smartphones.

6. Stronger Laws Against Counterfeit Seeds and Pesticides

Referring to widespread complaints from farmers regarding counterfeit and substandard agricultural inputs, the Union Minister called for stringent legal provisions against fake seeds and pesticides. He urged scientists to develop simple field-level technologies and diagnostic tools that would enable farmers to instantly verify the quality of seeds and pesticides, thereby protecting them from fraud and reducing crop losses.

7. Target of ₹10,000 Crore Internal Resource Generation by 2029

Shri Chouhan said ICAR should gradually reduce its dependence solely on government funding and become financially stronger through commercialisation of its technologies, crop varieties, vaccines and licensing initiatives. He proposed setting a target of generating ₹10,000 crore of internal resources by 2029, while assuring that government support would continue alongside efforts to build institutional self-reliance through innovation.

New Varieties, Vaccines and Technologies to Strengthen Agricultural Self-Reliance

The Foundation Day celebrations witnessed the release of 43 new crop varieties, 17 technologies/products, and 14 publications covering high-yielding and disease-resistant crop varieties, nutrient-rich crops, vaccines for livestock and fisheries, and digital agricultural solutions. Appreciating ICAR's work in controlling Foot-and-Mouth Disease and other major animal diseases, Shri Chouhan said that self-reliance in seeds, fertilisers and animal health would be achieved through indigenous vaccines, improved crop varieties and advanced technologies. The occasion also saw the signing of more than 70 Memorandums of Understanding and technology licensing agreements, aimed at accelerating the transfer of ICAR innovations to farmers through collaboration with the private sector and startups.

A Message of Inspiration for Scientists

Calling scientific research a national mission, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the responsibility of every scientist extends far beyond employment. Drawing inspiration from the teachings of Lord Krishna, he said an ideal worker is enthusiastic, free from ego, patient and capable of working in harmony with others. He urged scientists to make farmers' aspirations their personal mission and dedicate their fullest potential towards transforming India's agriculture. He expressed confidence that such collective efforts would turn the vision of Viksit Krishi and Samruddh Kisan into reality by 2047.

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairy and Panchayati Raj Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare Shri Ramnath Thakur and Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, Secretary, DARE and Director General, ICAR Dr. M. L. Jat, and Additional Secretary Shri Gyanendra D. Tripathi also addressed the gathering.

Scientists, employees, students and members of the agricultural community from all Krishi Vigyan Kendras, ICAR institutes and agricultural universities across the country joined the programme virtually, making the 98th Foundation Day a truly nationwide celebration of India's agricultural research ecosystem.

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RC/MS/MK