Welcome to NASF
About NASF
Introduction
The Indian National Agricultural Research System (NARS) has to find solutions for the immediate problems of farming as well as keep its competence in technology development in the forefront to meet all continuously emerging anticipated and unanticipated problems. Basic and strategic research and applied research in the frontier areas of agricultural sciences are the ‘pacemaker’ of technology development. Fully realizing this need, the Government of India decided to establish a national fund for supporting basic and strategic research with the objective of building capacity for basic and strategic research for solving agricultural problems of immediate, long-term and anticipatory nature, building partnership of all required expertise available in all disciplines and institutions in all over countries and to make India a global leader in research for development.
The Fund was named as ‘The National Fund for Basic, Strategic and Frontier Application Research in Agriculture’ (NFBSFARA). With the experience gathered during the 10th and 11th Plan Periods, results obtained and the base created, it was decided by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi in consultation with the Empowered Committee of the NFBSFARA that the fund must be given a wider perspective and arena. A strong and sustainable platform that would help develop a scientific capacity and culture in the extended NARS capable of ensuring continuous flow of knowledge and frontier technology of the best and appropriate quality for solving problems in agriculture and also provide a source of science policy for agriculture would be required. Commensurate with this requirement the name of the Fund was changed to ‘National Agricultural Science Fund’ (NASF) during the XII Plan.
Objectives
The main objective of the scheme has been to build capacity for basic, strategic and cutting edge application research in agriculture and address issues which can be solved by intensive basic and strategic research jointly by team of organizations/ institutions. Underlying this objective are the following aims:
Foster research and a research culture that will use and advance the frontiers of scientific knowledge to effectively meet the present, anticipated and unanticipated problems of agriculture through various modes and critical investments in research projects.
Build the capability of the National Agricultural Research System through development of wide partnerships in science through projects.
Build a storehouse of advancement of knowledge in science related to agriculture and awareness of the national importance of basic and strategic research in agriculture.
To provide policy support to the decision makers for use of basic and strategic research in agriculture.
Organizations of workshop, seminars, conferences etc. to create awareness, prioritization, scientific popularization and related issues.
Vision
Harnessing science at the frontier of current knowledge and beyond for continually replenish the well of scientific knowledge for agricultural development and prosperity of the farmer.
Mission
To use frontier science and the national scientific talents to advance the problem solving capacity of the extended national agricultural research system and the development of a dynamic knowledge base of Indian agriculture.
Contact Details:
Dr. Jitendra Kumar |
Last Updated: (29th November, 2023)