National Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Linkages and Interactions

7.1 National: The Academy implements most of its programmes through the ICAR Institutes, State Agricultural Universities, and other research organizations/NGOs with whom it has strong linkages. These linkages are nurtured and strengthened by its Fellows working in these organizations. The Academy has also taken initiative to establish linkages with other science Academies of India, such as the Indian National Science Academy; the Indian Academy of Sciences, India; the Indian National Academy of Engineering; the National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad; and the National Academy of Medical Sciences, to address issues concerning: (a) better public understanding of science in the country, and (b) identification of frontline issues facing the country in which science and scientists have a stake.

7.2 International: The Academy has taken steps to establish and renew linkages with Science Academies in other countries. Discussions have been held with different Academies for entering into Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) indicating the areas of collaboration. So far, nine MoUs have been signed which include: the Academia National de Ciencial Bolivia, Lapaz; the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences; the Agricultural Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences; the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt; the National Academic Centre for Agrarian Research, Khazakhstan; the Hungarian Academy of Sciences; the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS); the Bangladesh Academy of Agricultural Sciences; and the Crop Science Society of USA (CSSA). A meeting was organised with officials from The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) on December 14, 2023 to discuss collaboration and signing of MoU with AAS.

7.3 Interactions with International organisations: The Academy over the years has made concerted efforts and interacted with various international organisations. Some of the important interactions included: participation in the deliberations of the International Human Rights Network of World Academies and Scholarly Societies Organised by the US National Academy of Sciences in 2001 in Paris; visit of a delegation of the Academy to People’s Republic of China during November 15-21, 2004 under the provision of MoU signed with CAAS in October 2003; Organisation of the India-Afghanistan Symposium on ‘Converting Deserts into Oasis’ at New Delhi on November 19-21, 2006. As a follow-up, a 5-member delegation of the Academy visited Kabul during May 15-22, 2007 and submitted a report to the concerned Ministries of both the Indian and Afghan Governments for their consideration and implementation; and a team of senior officials of ttz Bremerhaven (Germany) interacted with the Academy on June 07, 2011. Subsequently, two proposals were received by the Academy which were forwarded to the ICAR. Roundtable meeting was organised between Academy and senior officials from ICAR and IARI with the delegation from Michigan State University (MSU) on September 09, 2016 to identify key areas and innovative approaches for sustained long-term collaboration among the DARE/ ICAR, NAAS, SAUs and MSU. Interactions were held with the delegation from Johns Hopkins University on January 11, 2017.

7.4 Other activities: The Academy deliberated on International Collaboration under South- South Cooperation (SSC) with a focus on Africa and BIMSTEC on June 18, 2019 regarding the potential opportunities for agricultural research and higher education for development in countries of Africa and BIMSTEC.

The Academy hosted eight-member high-level delegation from seven African countries on February 10, 2020 as a part of 10-day Agricultural Biotechnology and Biosafety Study tour Organised by MSU in collaboration with African Union Development Agency (AUDANEPAD), The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi and Bejo Sheetal Biosciences Foundation, Jalna. Discussions on global issues related to food security and sustainable development were also held with the delegation on February 20, 2020.

Several international activities were undertaken in 2022. The Academy Organised a Round table consultation with International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) on Preparedness for Prevention of Transboundary Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry in South Asian Countries on 15 February, 2022 to provide a roadmap for controlling transboundary animal diseases. The Academy celebrated the International Biodiversity Day by organizing a workshop entitled Global Genebanks and Biodiversity Management for Sustainable Agriculture on May 22, 2022 with participation of speakers from FAO Italy, IPK-Gatersleben, Germany, and Kew Botanical Garden, UK. A special lecture on The International Governance of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture: The Role and Place of the International Plant Treaty was delivered by Mr Kent Nnadozie (Secretary of the International Treaty, FAO Rome) on September 15, 2022. The Academy was invited as an Observer in the 9th Governing Body meeting of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), FAO of the United Nations held in New Delhi, September 19-24, 2022.

Since 2022, the Academy started collaboration with the World Food Prize Foundation (WFPF) for organizing International Borlaug Dialogue (a virtual Round Table session). In 2022, ‘Global Food and Nutritional Security and Sustainable Development through Major and Minor Pulses’ sessions in collaboration with WFPF and partnership with ICRISAT, ICARDA and The Worldveg with >300 participants globally were organised on October 14, 2022. Similarly, a Round Table session with a theme - “Millets for Food & Nutrition Security” with >500 registrations from 29 countries was organised on October 17, 2023. A special lecture entitled ‘Towards Oilcane: Fueling the Bioeconomy with Metabolic Engineering and Gene Editing of Sugarcane’ was organised, which was delivered by Prof Fredy Alpeter (University of Florida, USA) on August 31, 2023.