Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
Why in News?
On April 7, 2026, ICAR constituted a high-level Special Task Force (STF) to proactive address global supply chain disruptions, climate volatility, and food security.
Key Facts
- 184 New Crop Varieties: In early 2026, ICAR released 184 climate-resilient and bio-fortified varieties across 25 crops, including 60 rice and 50 maize varieties.
- QS World Rankings Debut: ICAR-IARI made its historic debut in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, marking a milestone for Indian agricultural education.
- Record Wheat Outlook: Director General Dr. M.L. Jat announced in April that India is poised to surpass 117.9 million tonnes of wheat production this season, with 40% already harvested without significant damage.
Structure & Scale
- Apex Body: Coordinates and manages agricultural research and education across India.
- Massive Network: Operates one of the world's largest systems with 113 institutes, 74 agricultural universities, and over 730 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs).
- Leadership: The Union Minister of Agriculture serves as the Ex-officio President of the ICAR Society.
Major 2026 Initiatives
- Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav (MGMG): Intensification of outreach in 100 aspirational districts to provide complete agricultural practice packages.
- Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR): Promotion of DSR technology to save 20–30% water and reduce labour costs.
- Genome-Edited Rice: Unveiling of India's first genome-edited rice varieties (DRR Dhan 100 and CR Dhan 130) for climate resilience.
- Soil Health Campaign: A dedicated district-wise assessment to rationalize fertilizer use in major crops like wheat and rice.
Historic Impact
- Green Revolution Pioneer: Played the lead role in the 1960s transformation of Indian agriculture.
- Production Growth: Since 1950, ICAR's research has enabled a 5.6x increase in food grains and a 16.8x increase in fish production.
- Export Support: ICAR varieties contribute to 90% of India's ₹50,000 crore Basmati rice exports.
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