ICAR to Set up Farmers’ Innovation Fund | 07 Jan 2020

Why in News

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is all set to start a Farmers Innovation Fund. ICAR will bring a system to scientifically validate, scale-up and propagate the innovations of progressive farmers.

  • As part of this system, an innovation centre will be established in New Delhi where the innovations will be scientifically validated and farmers will be allowed to pursue research work.

Key Points

  • Agriculture and Science: The system intends to link farmers and farming with science and to ensure that their farm practices are science-based. It would also encourage farmers to continue their innovations.
    • Krishi Vigyan Kendras document the innovations of farmers.
  • Technology in Agriculture: ICAR emphasises that agriculture is a science and application of principles of science helps in boosting agriculture.
    • Scientific approach and use of technology helped in the success of various agricultural and allied sectors’ revolutions like- green revolution and white revolution.
    • ICAR has created a link between 105 startups and farmers to encourage the use of technology in the farm sector.
  • Organic Farming: ICAR has developed 45 different organic farming models suitable for different agro-climatic regions and has validated 51 integrated farming systems to help increase farm income.
  • Fertilisers and Pesticides: ICAR is developing nano fertilizers and nano pesticides to promote organic farming and to reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers
  • Youth and Agriculture: A programme named Arya is also being implemented to improve rural bio-economy and attract youth to agriculture.
    • Till now over 5000 youth have been brought into this programme in which they have been trained to be entrepreneurs and begin a start-up. Around 104 such startups are marketing processed food items.
  • Indian Science Congress: Its theme for the year 2020 was “Science & Technology: Rural Development”. Also, Farmers’ Science Congress was inaugurated for the first time in the 107 years of history of the Indian Science Congress highlighting the importance of farmer’s innovations and their scientific validity.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research

  • It is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
  • It was established on 16 July 1929 and was formerly known as Imperial Council of Agricultural Research.
  • It is headquartered at New Delhi.
  • It is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country.

Krishi Vigyan Kendras

  • It is an integral part of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), which aims at the assessment of location-specific technology modules in agriculture and allied enterprises, through technology assessment, refinement, and demonstrations.
  • KVKs have been functioning as Knowledge and Resource Centre of agricultural technology supporting initiatives of public, private and voluntary sectors for improving the agricultural economy of the district and are linking the NARS with extension system and farmers.
  • These are 100% funded by the Government of India.
  • The first KVK was established in 1974 at Puducherry.

Source: TH