Workshop on Actionable Biotechnology Priorities for NEH Agriculture Organized at ICAR RC NEH, Umiam

18 September 2026, Umiam, Meghalaya

A one-day workshop on plant biotechnology for the North Eastern Hill (NEH) region was jointly organized by the Society for Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology (SPBB) and the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, today. The workshop provided a platform for eminent scientists, researchers, faculty members, and young scholars to deliberate on how modern biotechnology can be translated into practical solutions for the agricultural challenges of the region.

The programme was graced by Dr T. R. Sharma, Former Deputy Director General (Crop Science), ICAR and National Professor, ICAR-NIPV, New Delhi, and Dr Arunava Pattanayak, Former Director, ICAR-IIAB, Ranchi and ICAR-VPKAS, Almora.

Dr G. Kadirvel, Director, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam chaired the programme. In his opening remarks, Dr G. Kadirvel, highlighted the ongoing efforts in breeding and biotechnological applications to enhance productivity under the variable climatic conditions prevalent across the NEH states. He emphasized the urgent need to explore the possibilities of applying biotechnology for the improvement of indigenous crops.

Dr A. Pattanayak, emphasized the utilization of tissue culture and apical rooted cuttings (ARC) for the large-scale production and promotion of disease-free planting material in the NEH region. He also highlighted innovative techniques such as speed breeding for accelerated crop improvement.

Dr. T. R. Sharma, highlighted the importance of the workshop for budding professionals and scholars in advancing their knowledge and careers in the application of biotechnology to agriculture and allied sectors. He emphasized the importance of integrating breeding and biotechnological approaches for the development of biofortified and climate-resilient crop varieties suited to the diverse agro-ecological conditions of the NEH region of India.

The workshop focused on the need to align emerging biotechnology tools with the distinct production environments and field-level constraints of the NEH region, including acidic and nutrient-poor soils, abiotic and biotic stresses, climate- and water-related challenges, limited availability of quality seed and planting material, and the gap between promising research outputs and their effective field-level deployment.

The key emphasis of the deliberations was to move beyond broad discussions and identify clear, evidence-based, and actionable biotechnology priorities for NEH agriculture, with particular attention to the scientific interventions required, validation needs, institutional capabilities, collaboration, and realistic pathways towards field-level impact.

(Source: ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya)