National Conference on Pulses Organised at ICAR-IIPR

10-12 February 2026, Kanpur

On the occasion of World Pulses Day, a national conference on ‘Pulses, Planet, and People: Sustainable Livelihood and Nutritional Security under Changing Climate Scenario’ was jointly organized by the Indian Society of Pulses Research and Development (ISPRD) and ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur, during February 10–12, 2026. The conference served as a national platform to deliberate on strategies for enhancing pulses productivity, profitability, and sustainability under changing climate scenarios.

The conference was structured into ten technical sessions along with two special sessions, namely the Public-Private Interface Meeting and the Young Scientist and Student Conclave. The technical sessions covered diverse and contemporary themes such as planning and policy perspectives for pulses production enhancement; conventional and innovative breeding tools for accelerating genetic gain; next-generation omics technologies for pulses improvement; harnessing novel genetic diversity; advances in mechanization, data management and post-harvest management; regenerative agriculture and carbon farming; biotic and abiotic stress management; efficient delivery systems for enhancing farm productivity and profitability; and climate-smart agricultural practices for sustainable agri-food systems. The special sessions focused on strengthening public-private partnerships to boost pulses production and motivating young researchers to contribute to cutting-edge pulse research.

Dr. Mangala Rai, Former Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR), emphasized the critical role of pulses in ensuring nutritional security, addressing malnutrition, and improving dietary diversity. He highlighted concerns related to soil health degradation and nutrient deficiencies, advocating the integration of pulses in rice fallows and diversified cropping systems to restore soil fertility and reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers. Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Chairperson PPV&FRA, stressed achieving self-sufficiency in major pulse crops such as pigeonpea and urdbean through productivity enhancement and area expansion. He underlined the importance of advanced breeding tools, including marker-assisted and genomic selection, to develop climate-resilient and disease-resistant varieties, targeting an additional 10 million tonnes of pulses production within five years.

Mr. Sanjay K. Agarwal, Joint Secretary (Pulses Mission), DA&FW, Government of India, shared valuable insights on various government initiatives, including the National Pulses Mission, aimed at strengthening national self-reliance in pulses production. Dr. Sanjeev Gupta, ADG (O&P) emphasized the critical importance of developing a robust and efficient seed system to ensure the timely availability of quality seeds, along with the promotion of cost-effective and sustainable farming practices to enhance farmers’ income and national nutritional security.

During the plenary session, Dr. J. S. Sandhu, Former Deputy Director Geenral (Crop Science), ICAR and Former Vice-Chancellor, SKNAU, Jobner, highlighted the significance of scientific innovations, effective technology dissemination, and farmer-centric approaches to accelerate pulses productivity.

Dr. G. P. Dixit, Organising Chairman and Director, ICAR-IIPR, called upon pulses researchers and stakeholders to work collectively towards achieving self-sufficiency in pulses production in alignment with the national vision of Viksit Bharat.

The programme concluded with a formal vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Narendra Kumar, Organising Secretary, who conveyed his sincere appreciation to all dignitaries, delegates, partners, and participants for their active engagement, meaningful deliberations, and wholehearted support in making the national conference a resounding success. He further noted that the three-day event witnessed the participation of over 400 delegates, including eminent scientists, policymakers, representatives from private companies, progressive farmers, students, and pulses experts from across the country, reflecting the wide national interest and collective commitment towards strengthening the pulses sector.

(Source: ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur)