Introduction

The National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), established in 1990, is among the youngest of the Science Academies in India. It owes its origin to the vision of the late Dr. B. P. Pal, FRS. The Academy focuses on the broad field of agricultural sciences including crop husbandry, animal husbandry, fisheries, agro-forestry and interface between agriculture and agro-industry. The Academy’s role is to provide a forum to Agricultural Scientists to deliberate on important issues of agricultural research, education and extension and present views of the scientific community as policy inputs to planners, decision/opinion makers at various levels. To achieve this, the Academy organizes and supports national and international congresses, conferences, seminars, symposia, workshops and brainstorming sessions on critical issues in the field of agricultural sciences. The Academy accords recognition to scientists at various levels, and encourages cutting edge research in different fields of agricultural sciences. In 2001, the Academy instituted a scheme of NAAS-TATA Research Fellowships for Young Scientists (with one for the North East Region) with support from the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust. In 2003, ‘Associateship’ of the Academy was introduced for Young Scientists.

The Academy has emerged as a vibrant national level body devoted to agricultural sciences. The Fellows of the Academy, recognized for their contributions to science, include distinguished personalities in the field of Agriculture and Allied Sciences, both from India and abroad. The Academy has also established “Corporate Membership”, “Corporate Fellowship” and “Institutional Membership” to attract involvement of Industry and Institutions in supporting the activities of the Academy. 

Objectives

The major objectives of the Academy, inter-alia, are to:

• promote ecologically sustainable agriculture,
• recognize and promote excellence of individual scientists in the field of agriculture,
• promote interaction among research workers in different institutions and organizations within the country and with the world scientific community,
• organize inter-disciplinary analysis of issues of importance to farmers and farming, and prepare further policies designed to advance agricultural research, education and development
• carry out such activities as are relevant to the accomplishment of the above goals.

Management bodies

• The General Body: The General Body of the Academy is constituted by its Fellows.
• The Executive Council is the main policy and decision making body.
• Statutory Committees have been constituted to deal with various aspects of governance of the Academy.
• Twelve Regional Chapters of the Academy are functioning at Bengaluru, Bhopal, Cuttack, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Karnal, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Patna and Varanasi.