The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar on August 21 launched the 11th National Seed Congress-2022 organized by the Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agriculture University at Gwalior.
Key highlights
- On this occasion the newly constructed auditorium of the University was named after the late Dattopant Thengadi.
- Simultaneously the State Academy of Agricultural and Allied Sciences (SAAS) was launched.
- The efforts of NAAS at the national level and SAAS at the regional level will further accelerate the activities of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry science and promotion of related research and education.
- Shri Narendra Singh Tomar has said that our agricultural scientists have made great progress through research, India is today at first or second place in terms of most food produce.
- Shri Tomar said that the hard work of farmers, farmer friendly policies of the government and research of scientists have contributed in this achievement and we stand at the forefront globally in terms of agricultural produce.
- Now that the climatic conditions are changing, this challenge has to be dealt with. Now there should be self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds also.
- For this the government is working in mission mode, but along with policies and funding, the invention of seeds should be such that it increases productivity and takes the country towards self-reliance.
Steps to promote seed development
- 161 State Seed Testing Laboratories and six Central Seed Testing Laboratories are functioning in the Country. These laboratories are analyzing seeds of native Indian crop and trees for various quality parameters.
- The Government has a policy to encourage conservation of the seeds of native Indian varieties of various crops and trees.
- The National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) has conserved 94,609 native Indian varieties of different crops and trees in Gene Banks located in different States.
- The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmer’s Rights Authority (PPV & FRA) has also registered 1896 native Indian varieties of different crops enabling the farmer to commercialize these varieties.
- PPV & FRA encourages the community and individuals engaged in conservation, improvement and preservation of plant genetic resources of economic plants and their wild relatives particularly in the areas identified as agro-biodiversity hotspots by awarding the community and individuals who have played stellar roles in such activities.
- In order to ensure availability of native seeds and improve their usage by farmers, Indian Council of Agricultural Research is developing high yielding and multi stress tolerant varieties of different crop including cereals, millet, pulses, oilseeds and fruits suited to different agro-climatic condition.
- In order to enhance indigenous species of trees, Scheme called Sub-Mission on Agro-forestry is being implemented since 2016-17 to encourage and expand tree plantation.
- Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP) is being implemented for the production and multiplication of high yielding certified/quality seeds of all crops and making them available to the farmers.
