Innovation Ecosystem in India

ICAR launches ‘One scientist, One product’ Scheme 

Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: ICAR; One scientist, One product’ Scheme.

Why in the News?

  • The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is set to launch its ‘One Scientist-One Product’ program. This initiative aims to enhance research in agriculture and animal husbandry.

About the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

  • ICAR is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
  • It is headquartered in New Delhi.
  • ICAR was formerly known as the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research.
  • It was established in 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 on the basis of the report of the Royal Commission on Agriculture.

Functions of ICAR:

  • Its primary mandate is to coordinate agricultural education and research in India and provide leadership in agriculture and allied sectors.
  • It is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country.

Structure and Organization:

  • ICAR operates under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
  • It consists of a network of research institutes, national bureaus, project directorates, and agricultural universities across the country.
  • The council is governed by a Governing Body and an Executive Committee, which oversee its functioning and activities.
  • ICAR confers prestigious awards, such as: the Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award, the Borlaug Award, and the Hari Om Ashram Trust Award, to recognize excellence in agricultural research and education.

Significant feats achieved by ICAR:

  • Bio-fortified Coverage: In 2023-24, approximately 16 million hectares are cultivated with bio-fortified crop varieties.
  • Crops Mentioned: This includes wheat, rice, pearl millet, lentil, and mustard.
  • Climate Resilience: The deployment of climate-resilient technologies has boosted production, even in abnormal years.
  • Variety Release: From 2014-15 to 2023-24, ICAR has released 2,593 high-yielding varieties, including 2,177 climate-resilient and 150 bio-fortified varieties.

What is the “One Scientist One Product” Scheme?

  • The “One Scientist One Product” initiative is a strategic research plan launched by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
  • It aims to enhance agricultural productivity by assigning specific research targets to individual scientists within the organization in the next 5 years.

Key Objectives of the Scheme:

  • Target-Oriented Research: Each scientist is given a specific target to develop a product. For example- seed variety, technology, research paper, or a conceptual model.
  • Avoiding Duplication: The initiative ensures that efforts are not duplicated by carefully mapping and assigning unique research targets to each scientist.
  • Regular Monitoring: Progress will be monitored every three months at the official level and twice a year by the researchers themselves.

Implementation Details:

  • All 5,521 scientists of ICAR have been registered under this scheme.
  • At the beginning of each year, scientists must identify and inform about the product they aim to develop.
  • While the focus is on individual contributions, there will be instances where a product will be developed by a group of scientists.

Long-Term Goals:

  • Product Development: The initiative is part of a broader plan to release 100 new seed varieties across various crops within the government’s 100-day plan.
  • Climate-Resilient Crops: A significant target is to increase the area under climate-resilient paddy seeds to 25% of the total kharif acreage, up from the current 15%.

Announcement of New Crop Varieties

  • Event Details: ICAR will announce the release of 323 new crop varieties during a function in Delhi. The new releases include cereals, oilseeds, forage crops, and sugarcane.
  • Variety Breakdown: Among these, there are 289 climate-resilient varieties and 27 bio-fortified varieties.
  • Upcoming Initiatives: ICAR aims to develop 100 new seed varieties and 100 farm technologies within 100 days as part of a national 100-day action plan.

Progress in Bio-fortification and Climate Resilience

  • ICAR reports significant progress in the adoption of bio-fortified crop varieties, with a total area of 16 million hectares under these varieties.
  • The organization emphasizes the success of its climate-resilient technologies, noting enhanced production even during years with abnormal weather conditions.

PYQ:

[2018] With reference to the Genetically Modified mustard (GM mustard) developed in India, consider the following statements:

  1. GM mustard has the genes of a soil bacterium that give the plant the property of pest-resistance to a wide variety of pests.
  2. GM mustard has the genes that allow the plant cross-pollination and hybridization.
  3. GM mustard has been developed jointly by the IARI and Punjab Agricultural University.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

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