The Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) and Bayer have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop environmentally friendly and climate-resilient solutions for agriculture. This partnership focuses on various aspects such as crop varieties, crop protection, weed management, and mechanization. Their goal is to promote sustainable farming practices by offering high-quality inputs and advisory services to farmers.
They aim to support small-scale farmers with expert advice and create markets for carbon credits. The collaboration also aims to advance precision farming through joint research, with Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) playing a key role in reaching out to a wider farming community through technology transfer and capacity-building efforts.
The cooperative effort between ICAR and Bayer will focus on promoting resource-efficient techniques like Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) in paddy farming. Bayer will support KVK agri-entrepreneurs by conducting awareness and education campaigns, ensuring input availability, and providing mechanization solutions in specific geographic clusters. The goal is to empower small farmers, helping them achieve higher yields, adopt water-efficient methods, and connect better with markets to earn additional rewards.
Dr Himanshu Pathak, Secretary of DARE and Director General of ICAR, praised the collaboration with private partners for developing and spreading resource-efficient technologies. KVKs will play a crucial role in assessing and endorsing these technologies in diverse agroecological regions, with tailored action plans for specific areas.
Simon-Thorsten Wiebusch, the Country Divisional Head for Bayer's Crop Science Business in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, emphasizes the importance of food and nutritional security for national security. He calls for the development of a forward-looking, digitally advanced, and sustainable agricultural system tailored to farmers' needs. This partnership focuses on creating sustainable agricultural models, particularly in rice and horticulture production, to promote economic prosperity.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Dr Udham Singh Gautam from ICAR and Simon Thorsten Wiebusch from Bayer. The collaboration between ICAR institutes in Horticulture and Bayer aims to enhance capabilities and support the responsible use of crop protection inputs and precision agriculture tools like drones.
