ICAR's 97th Annual General Meeting Sets Agricultural Research Direction
The 97th Annual General Meeting of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Society was held on August 18, 2026, at the National Agricultural Science Complex (NASC) in New Delhi, chaired by Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The meeting charted a comprehensive roadmap for transformative agriculture in India with emphasis on demand-driven research aligned with farmers' needs, market demand, and consumer requirements.
Key Policy Directions and Ministerial Addresses
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasized that India must move beyond merely increasing production and build a strong identity "from farm to global market." He stressed the need for improving farm incomes and strengthening the resilience of small and marginal farmers through integrated farming systems, timely access to quality seeds and planting material, balanced fertiliser use, improved soil health, and sustainable agricultural practices. Chouhan underlined the importance of strengthening India's export viability through quality, nutrition, processing, packaging, shelf life, and compliance with global standards, calling for stronger ICAR-industry partnerships to ensure faster technology transfer to farmers.
Union Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary highlighted the need to achieve self-reliance in agriculture by strengthening self-sufficiency in pulses, oilseeds, seeds, livestock, and value-added processing while promoting climate-resilient agriculture and stronger FPOs and market linkages. Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying S.P. Singh Baghel noted India's significant progress across agriculture and allied sectors, including foodgrains, horticulture, dairy, fisheries, meat, and eggs, attributing this transformation to scientific research and technology.
ICAR's Operational Achievements and Breakthroughs
Dr. M.L. Jat, Secretary of DARE and Director General of ICAR, presented the Council's key achievements including a 19 million tonne increase in foodgrain production and significant growth in horticulture, milk, and fisheries sectors. ICAR released 386 new crop varieties, with 94% being climate-resilient and 29 biofortified varieties, strengthening productivity, climate resilience, and nutrition security. Major breakthroughs were achieved in genomics, genome editing, livestock health, fisheries, soil health, and natural farming, with the indigenous African Swine Fever vaccine emerging as a significant scientific breakthrough for pig health and farmers' livelihoods.
Technology Transfer and Institutional Developments
ICAR accelerated the translation of research into field applications and market opportunities with 805 intellectual property applications filed during the past year and technology commercialisation strengthened across 36 institutions. The National Gender Platform for Agri-Food Systems now connects over 9,000 establishments, reinforcing women's participation in agriculture. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with industry and CSR donors for partnership with ICAR, strengthening collaborative efforts and resource mobilisation for agricultural research and development.
Financial and Administrative Matters
Shri Sandeep Sarkar, Additional Secretary of DARE and Financial Adviser to ICAR, presented the Annual Accounts along with the Auditor's Report for 2024-25. The meeting adopted the ICAR Annual Report 2025-26 and considered updates/amendments in the Rules and Bye-laws of the ICAR Society. Four ICAR publications were released during the occasion, and members provided suggestions regarding ICAR's achievements and expectations for agricultural research.
State Participation and Collaborative Commitment
The meeting brought together Union and State Ministers from multiple states including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Participants expressed satisfaction over the growth in foodgrain production and overall agricultural progress, reaffirming commitment to strengthening Centre-State collaboration and working collectively toward farmers' prosperity and agricultural advancement.