New Delhi, Aug 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release seeds of 109 high-yielding, climate-resilient, and biofortified crop varieties on Sunday. The event will take place at the India Agricultural Research Institute in the national capital, where he will also interact with farmers and scientists.
The PMO stated on Saturday that these seeds cover 61 crops, including 34 field crops and 27 horticultural varieties. Among the field crops, the seeds include various cereals, millets, forage crops, oilseeds, pulses, sugarcane, cotton, and fiber crops. For horticultural crops, the release includes seeds of fruits, vegetables, plantation crops, tuber crops, spices, flowers, and medicinal plants.
PM Modi has consistently promoted sustainable farming and climate-resilient methods. He has emphasized linking biofortified crop varieties with government programs like Mid-Day Meal and Anganwadi to combat malnutrition. He believes these initiatives will boost farmers’ incomes and create new entrepreneurial opportunities.
On Saturday, PM Modi highlighted India’s emergence as a food surplus nation with a strong agriculture sector. He expressed readiness to share India’s experience in tackling global hunger and malnutrition amidst climate challenges.
Last week, at the 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists in New Delhi, PM Modi announced that India has developed 1,900 new climate-resilient seed varieties. These include a rice variety that uses 25% less water. He also mentioned India’s production of “super foods” like black rice and millets, which can benefit the Global South.
PM Modi noted that black rice, grown in northeastern states like Manipur and Assam, has medicinal value and can bring significant returns to farmers. He also highlighted India’s position as the largest producer of millets, a super food grown with minimal water and maximum yield. The UN has recognized the importance of millets by celebrating 2023 as the ‘Year of the Millet’.
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