Shri Arjun Munda visits ICAR-IARI, New Delhi

17th January 2024 New Delhi,

The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri. Arjun Munda today visited the National Agricultural Science Complex and the experimental fields and facilities at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi.

Shri. Munda visited various facilities of ICAR-IARI, New Delhi. He also visited the plant factory-based smart indoor crop cultivation. He emphasised the integration of sensors and the Internet of Things in agriculture.

The Agriculture Minister urged to transfer the advanced technologies to the commercial and urban growers. He appreciated the efforts of IARI in developing appropriate and cutting-edge technologies for higher productivity and climate resilience.

The Union Minister visited IFS model of 1-acre areas which consisted of polyhouse cultivation of vegetables (600 m2 area for cultivation of tomato, capsicum and cucumbers), mushroom production (50 m2 area), agri-horti system (1200 m2 area), apiculture and open field cultivation of vegetables, flowers, cereals, oilseeds and pulses on 2200 m2 area. Recycling of organic residue among different farm enterprises also had a significant effect on soil health. 

Shri Munda, visited the IFS model for irrigated system which has been has been developed with the concept of integration of multiple enterprises (crops, livestock’s, beekeeping, fisheries etc.) in a single farm unit with the objective to ensure year-round income and employment for a farm family having 01 ha irrigated land. Net income of the model was INR 4.16 lakh per year along with 628 man-days engaged throughout the years. The highest net income (1.81 lakh/year) was obtained from dairy (3 crossbreed cows) enterprise followed by crops (1.34 lakh). Model depicted total carbon assimilation by the crop enterprises was 4448 kg/annum. Carbon cycle assessment using Farm design tool shows that total input of carbon from the crop enterprises to household and animal was 603 and 5555 kg/annum respectively. The addition of carbon from crop and livestock manure to the soil was 256 and 1698 kg/annum respectively. Overall accumulation of carbon in the soil was 1955 kg/annum, which ultimately enriches the organic matter pool of the soil.

The Drone based Technology for Precision Agriculture and Pusa Phenomobile – a field-based robot for imaging crop fields were demonstrated to him during his visit. The Union Minister later visited the mustard fields.

Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR), briefed the facilities at National Agricultural Science Complex including the international institutions housed in the complex.

(Source: ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi)