ICRISAT to mark 50 years of aiding agriculture research

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) will mark the start of its 50th anniversary celebrations with an official visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the milestone at its global headquarters in Patancheru. The other VVIPs who are expected to attend the event are Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, CM K Chandrashekar Rao and Union Minister of Agriculture and (*50*)’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar. ICRISAT since its inception on 28th March, 1972, as part of a global institutional framework to share scientific agricultural breakthroughs and innovations, has helped the rural populace overcome poverty, malnutrition and environmental degradation in one of the harshest of dryland regions in the world. Established by a consortium formed by the Ford and the Rockefeller Foundations, ICRISAT has played a significant role in Crop Improvement by releasing 1,181 varieties which include sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut, in 81 countries across the globe as of 2021. As many as 1,28,979 accessions from 144 countries were curated by ICRISAT’s genebank and more than 1.5 million samples were distributed to 149 countries, providing dryland farmers access to high quality seed of modern varieties. ICRISAT, being the only International Agricultural Research Center (IARC) with headquarters in India, has been collaborating closely with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). 
Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav will be the receive PM Narendra Modi on his visit to Hyderabad today. “Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has agreed to have Talasani Srinivas Yadav as the Minister-in-waiting to receive and see off the Prime Minister on his arrival and departure. You are requested to take necessary action accordingly,” a letter from the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister directed the Principal Secretary General Administration Department (Political). The Cyberabad police commissionerate has banned all flying activities of remotely controlled drone at the ICRISAT and Statue of Equality premises with immediate effect. ICRISAT will restrict drones till 8 pm and Sri Ramanagaram JIVA Campus in Shamshabad will restrict them till February 15. 

Source: Newsdeal