National Advisory Board on Genetic Resources Meeting Concludes with Strategic Recommendations
The newly reconstituted National Advisory Board on Management of Genetic Resources (NABMGR) held its first meeting on July 29, 2026 at the ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources in New Delhi. The Board, originally constituted in 2011 and reconstituted in 2026, operates under the chairmanship of Padma Bhushan Dr R.S. Paroda, Former Secretary of DARE and Director General of ICAR, with Dr M.L. Jat, current Secretary of DARE and Director General of ICAR, serving as co-chairman.
The meeting was attended by senior representatives from multiple government agencies including the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Botanical Survey of India (BSI), National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), National Seed Association of India (NSAI), Bioversity International, along with Deputy Directors General of ICAR, Directors of six ICAR National Bureaux managing genetic resources, farmer representatives, and other experts.
Dr. Paroda emphasized that India's diverse genetic resources across plants, animals, fish, microbes, and insects represent a national strategic asset critical for food security, nutritional security, environmental security, and livelihood security. He stressed the need for strategic prioritization by each National Bureau to align conservation efforts with emerging national needs and enhance the use of conserved germplasm, including wild relatives/species, in breeding programs to develop climate-resilient varieties and breeds.
The Board recommended several key initiatives including strengthening pre-breeding programs to facilitate greater use of conserved germplasm in crop improvement, identifying unexplored regions for systematic germplasm collection during 2026–2031, and enhancing collaboration among ICAR National Bureaux to develop an integrated national genetic resources management framework. A full-fledged inter-institutional program was recommended for mainstreaming traditional and opportunity crop varieties/breeds/species of plants, microbes, insects, animals, and fishes.
Dr. Paroda advocated for developing an appropriate legal framework to protect the rights of breeders and farmers for animal and fish genetic resources, similar to the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act (PPV&FRA). He also emphasized strengthening international collaboration, particularly with Central Asian and South-East Asian countries, to facilitate access to valuable genetic resources for crops such as cotton, rambutan, avocado, mangosteen and livestock species such as sheep.
Dr. Jat highlighted the integration of genetic resources management with advances in soil science, digital agriculture, and crop improvement, noting that India has built a strong National Agricultural Research, Education and Extension System (NAREES) led by ICAR. Directors of the six ICAR National Bureaux presented major achievements from 2021–2026 and outlined their roadmaps for 2026–2031, focusing on initiatives aligned with national priorities and Sustainable Development Goals.
The Board reviewed the status of delegation of responsibilities relating to agrobiodiversity from the National Biodiversity Authority to DARE/ICAR under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and discussed measures to strengthen implementation of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) provisions. Progress in establishing the National Safety Genebank (NSG) was reviewed, with the Chairman suggesting efforts to complete the NSG in time for dedication during ICAR's centenary celebrations in 2028-29.
The meeting reaffirmed the Board's commitment to providing strategic policy guidance for conserving and sustainably utilizing India's genetic resources through scientific collaboration, institutional convergence, and evidence-based decision-making, contributing to the vision of Viksit Bharat by enhancing agricultural resilience, food security, and sustainable development.