National Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Dr. R.S. Paroda, Chairman, TAAS inaugurated the workshop as Chief Guest and Prof. Ramesh Chand, Member (Agriculture Niti Aayog) chaired the proceedings.

A strategy workshop on ‘Towards achieving self-sufficiency of pulses in India’ was organized at NASC, New Delhi under the auspices of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) on 7-8 April 2016.

Dr. S.Ayyappan, President NAAS , Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary DARE & DG, ICAR, Dr. R.B. Singh, Immediate past president NAAS, Sh. S.K. Pattanayak, Secretary, DAC & FW, Dr. Shyam Bahadur Khadka, FAO representative in India, Dr. David Bergvinsson, DG, ICRISAT, Sh. A.K. Srivastava, Secretary, MFPI, Dr. P.K. Joshi, Director, IFPRI, South Asia, Dr. Gurbachan Singh Chairman, ASRB and Dr. J.S. Sandhu, DDG (CS), ICAR also made remarks and deliberated on various issues. Based on the discussions and technical inputs, an action plan was prepared for achieving self sufficiency in pulses in the country by 2020.

On this occasion five progressive pulse farmers viz., Sh. Udaiveer, Sh. Krisha Kumar, Sh. Shailendra Singh, Sh. Ram Prakash and Sh. Vijay Singh were also felicitated by the chief guest for their endeavor of cultivating pulses as major agricultural crops on their farms.

After two days of elaborate discussions an action plan as well as road map for achieving self sufficiency in pulses envisaged through implementing and prioritizing following recommendations: Research Restructuring plant types for higher productivity; modernization of pulse breeding programme; supporting genetic gains through transgenic technology; enhancing biological nitrogen fixation through development of super nodulating plant types; breeding short duration varieties for increasing cropping intensity; using hybrid technology in pigeonpea ; conservation agriculture. Policy related recommendations, have a separate mission on pulses and establishment of a National Pulse Board; focused attention on major six pulse producing states; incentivizing the pulses producers through higher minimum support price with robust procurement network; pulses at subsidized rates to BPL families through the PDS, and inclusion of pulse-based snacks/food in the mid-day meal scheme at the schools; expediting the crop insurance scheme to cover risky crops such as pulses; enhancing core government funding for R&D in pulses. Some general recommendations includes; strengthening R&D of national research system including IIPR and AICRPs.; the research and development approach to be more pulses centric; promoting public private partnership in pulses sub-sector; pulse varieties older than 10 years to be replaced with new varieties and SRR increased to >30%.; encouraging farm mechanization and weed control by integrated approach; efficient water management through micro-irrigation and integrating Prime Minister Sinchai Yojna, ; shifting some of the area under cereals to pulses in irrigated belts; promoting transgenic pulse crops; need to integrate the national and international markets through ICT; increased farm mechanization through custom hiring; strengthening of seed system with increased availability of bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides; promoting soybean protein ; bio-fortification and value addition in pulses to be given priority; a strong need for mission mode approach with a coordination and convergence of all stakeholders to achieve self sufficiency in pulse in the country.

The strategy workshop was attended by more than 130 participants including renowned pulses researchers, policy makers, administrators and academia of the country and conducted in 6 specialized themes covering genetic enhancement, productivity enhancement, smart farming, harvest and post-harvest management, trade and policy, new dimensions and way forward.