In a major boost to Indian agriculture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday introduced 109 new seed varieties designed to enhance farm productivity and increase farmers’ incomes. The newly released varieties, developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), cover 61 different crops, including 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops.
The unveiling took place at the Pusa Campus in Delhi, where Modi also engaged with both farmers and scientists. The Prime Minister emphasised the critical role of value addition in agriculture and highlighted the benefits of these new varieties, which promise lower input costs and increased efficiency for farmers.
During his address, Modi underlined the growing demand for nutritious foods and discussed the benefits of millets and natural farming. He noted the increasing consumer shift towards organic foods and commended the efforts of the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) in raising awareness about sustainable farming practices.
Farmers present at the event expressed their enthusiasm for the new seed varieties, praising the government’s commitment to promoting natural farming and organic produce. Modi encouraged KVKs to regularly update farmers on the latest developments and benefits of new crop varieties.
The Prime Minister also recognised the work of scientists who have been developing these varieties, particularly focusing on integrating underutilised crops into mainstream agriculture.
The newly introduced field crop varieties include cereals, millets, forage crops, oilseeds, pulses, sugarcane, cotton, and fibre crops. For horticulture, the release featured new varieties of fruits, vegetables, plantation crops, tubers, spices, flowers, and medicinal plants.
Since 2014, Modi has been a strong advocate for sustainable farming and climate-resilient agricultural practices. His ongoing support for biofortified crops aligns with government initiatives aimed at combating malnutrition through programs such as the Mid-Day Meal scheme and Anganwadi services.
With inputs from PTI.
