Union Ministers visit ICAR-CAZRI, Jodhpur

Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare along with Shri Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj and Shri Kailash Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare visited the ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, Rajasthan from 17th to 18th October, 2021.

In his address, Shri Tomar highlighted that the introduction of new food and fodder crops by the Institute and development of their new climate resilient cultivars has helped the community to make profitable farming for the last several decades in the Thar Desert. The Union Minister appreciated the OMF (Organo Mineral Fertilizer) by the Institute for reducing the import dependency of the country on both the phosphatic and potassium fertilizers.

Shri Giriraj Singh applauded the Institute’s role in developing the climate-smart farming models, cheaper polyhouses, new models of integrated farming and round-the-year fodder production.

Shri Kailash Choudhary stressed on the need for the use of new types of agroforestry trees, drought-tolerant horticultural crops, new interventions in water harvesting and use of solar energy for agricultural operations.

The Ministers visited the Institute’s various Research Units including the precision farming and polyhouse cultivation, gum garden, pearl millet breeding block, grass production system, dairy unit, horticulture, water harvesting and fodder production, agri-voltaic system and solar yard, etc.

The dignitaries were also demonstrated the Institute’s efforts in the production of several grass species like Lasiurus sindicus, Cenchurus ciliaries, etc., and their potential to serve the high livestock in the desert Districts.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. O.P. Yadav, Director, ICAR-CAZRI, Jodhpur outlined the works undertaken by the Institute. Dr. Yadav also underlined the future plans in view of the forthcoming challenges and opportunities.

(Source: ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, Rajasthan)