Workshop on Redefining Agricultural Research Ecosystem in Maharashtra: From Outputs to Impact

29 October 2025, Maharashtra

A state-level workshop on ‘Redefining Agricultural Research Ecosystem in Maharashtra: From Outputs to Impact’ was organized to deliberate on strategies for making agricultural research more responsive, collaborative, and outcome-oriented.

Shri Dattatray Varane, Minister for Agriculture, Government of Maharashtra, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. In his address, he emphasized the need to make agricultural research more farmer-centric and adaptive to contemporary challenges such as climate change, low productivity, market volatility, and slow technology adoption. Adv. Ashish Jaiswal, Minister of State for Agriculture, attended the event as Guest of Honour.

Dr. M.L. Jat, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR), delivered the keynote address, commending the Maharashtra Government’s proactive initiatives to strengthen the agricultural research framework in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047. Highlighting the mantra of “Reform, Perform, and Transform,” Dr. Jat underscored the importance of translating research outputs into tangible impacts for farmers. He also participated in a technical session focusing on the current status and research gaps within State Agricultural Universities (SAUs).

Smt. Varsha Ladda-Untwal, Director General, MCAER, Pune, delivered the inaugural address, while Shri Vikas Chandra Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra, provided contextual insights on the state’s research priorities. Vice-Chancellors of SAUs, Directors of ICAR institutes, and senior officials from the Government of Maharashtra actively participated in the deliberations.

The workshop served as a pivotal platform to strengthen Maharashtra’s agricultural research ecosystem by addressing systemic challenges and promoting a shift from discipline-specific research to collaborative, need-based, and scalable innovations.

It reaffirmed the commitment to empower scientists to undertake user-focused, impactful, and outcome-driven research that benefits farmers, FPOs, and other stakeholders across the agricultural value chain.