The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) will celebrate its 97th Foundation Day on Saturday at C. Subramaniam Hall, NASC Complex, New Delhi. The event will be inaugurated by Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
On this historic occasion, the National Agricultural Science Awards will be presented, alongside the launch of new technologies, products, publications, and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). A Viksit Krishi Exhibition will also be organized, showcasing India’s advancements in the agricultural sector.
India recorded its highest-ever foodgrain production at 353.95 million tonnes in 2024–25. The country maintained its position as the largest rice producer (149.1 million tonnes) and contributed 40% to global rice exports. Additionally, India ranked first in milk production (239.3 million tonnes), second in wheat (117.3 million tonnes), and second in horticulture with a projected output of 367.72 million tonnes. Fish production also stood at 18.42 million tonnes, making India the second-largest producer globally.
On August 11, 2025, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi released 109 new high-yielding, climate-resilient, and nutrient-rich crop varieties. ICAR launched several major initiatives, including ‘One Scientist One Product’, ‘100 Days 100 Technologies’, and ‘100 Days 100 Varieties’, directly benefiting 1.35 crore farmers across 1.40 lakh villages.
Crop Science and Innovation:
The past year, ICAR developed 679 new crop varieties, including 27 biofortified ones. Notably, 90% of India’s ₹50,000 crore Basmati exports came from just four ICAR-developed varieties. Wheat production touched 115.3 million tonnes, with 85% of the sown area under ICAR’s climate-resilient varieties. ICAR also introduced the world’s first two genome-edited rice varieties, marking a milestone in precision breeding.
Horticulture, Fisheries, and Natural Resource Management:
ICAR released 83 new horticulture varieties, collected 1,860 new germplasm, and produced 2,200 tonnes of breeder seed. In fisheries, ICAR developed super-intensive shrimp farming systems producing 30–40 tonnes/ha/crop.
Natural resource achievements include building a National Soil Spectral Library with 40,000 soil samples, formulating 35 Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and developing a microbial consortium capable of reducing methane emissions by 18% in paddy fields.
Livestock and Farm Mechanization: ICAR registered 10 indigenous animal breeds, developed 5 vaccines and 7 diagnostic kits, and launched 2 new chicken breeds. Smart dairy sensors and 45 new agricultural machines were also introduced, supported by 301 training programs.
Agricultural Education and Global Collaboration:
ICAR held virtual meetings with 76 agricultural universities, launched the PM-ONOS scheme, and initiated the ASEAN Fellowship Program. It supported 50 experiential learning units across 22 universities, delivered 166 training sessions, and introduced MOOCs to broaden learning access.
ICAR’s Expanding Extension Services and Global Impact:
In 2024–25, ICAR made significant strides in agricultural extension, bridging innovations and rural outreach:
Farmer Outreach and Training: ICAR conducted 42,000 on-farm trials (OFTs) and 2.66 lakh frontline demonstrations (FLDs), including 1.41 lakh focused on pulses and oilseeds. Training programs reached 18.57 lakh farmers and 1.77 lakh extension personnel. Customized advisories (4.19 crore messages) and 3.8 lakh sample analyses (soil, water, plant inputs) ensured timely and localized farm guidance.
Crop Residue Management & Infrastructure: In 65 districts of Punjab, Haryana, UP, and Delhi, stubble burning decreased by 80% (compared to 2020) through Crop Residue Management (CRM) initiatives. ICAR also established 299 Custom Hiring Centres, 82 climate-resilient seed banks, and 34 fodder banks.
Nutrition and Youth Empowerment: Under the Nutri-sensitive Agri Resources Innovation (NARI) initiative, 18,000 Anganwadi centres were equipped with nutri-gardens. A total of 16,952 rural youth were trained through 694 skill development programs, leading to the creation of 3,398 entrepreneurial units involving 5,472 youth.
Support for FPOs:
ICAR provided technical support to 3,093 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and trained 1.22 lakh members via 3,002 training sessions.
Intellectual Property and Technology Licensing
ICAR filed 125 patents, registered 307 copyrights, and filed 120 design and 111 trademark applications. It signed 1,012 technology licensing agreements and 72 consultancy/research contracts to promote innovation-led agriculture.
Global Presence:
ICAR strengthened its international partnerships through forums like ASEAN, SAARC, BIMSTEC, QUAD, BRICS, G20, and SCO, while remaining an active member of CGIAR, ICARDA, and BI-CIAT. ICAR signed 9 MoUs/work plans and awarded 50 ASEAN–India fellowships for higher education in agriculture.
