ICAR-RCER Hosts National Workshop and FAD 22 Meeting to Boost Agricultural Standardization

The ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region (ICAR-RCER), Patna, under the visionary leadership of Dr. Anup Das, Director, successfully hosted the 19th Meeting of the Agricultural Systems and Management Sectional Committee (FAD 22) in conjunction with a national workshop on "Integration of National Standardisation and Agriculture Ecosystem."

The day-long programme featured a blend of technical deliberations and strategic discussions aimed at aligning India’s agricultural practices with globally recognized standards. During this meeting, Dr. Anup Das, Director of ICAR-RCER, Patna, emphasized the critical role of standardization in transforming Indian agriculture:“We are honored to host the 19th meeting of FAD 22 and the national workshop on agricultural standardization. Standardization ensures uniformity, quality assurance, and global competitiveness in agricultural systems. Our goal is to develop farmer-centric, practical standards that not only enhance productivity but also support sustainability and innovation. Through collaboration with BIS, ICAR institutions, SAUs, industries, and other stakeholders, we aim to create an integrated ecosystem that drives smart, scalable, and inclusive agricultural development across the country.”

A key highlight of the morning session was the technical talk titled, “Story of Standardization in Indian Agriculture: The Bureau of Indian Standards Perspective,” delivered by Shri Debasish Mahalik, Scientist-C and Deputy Director at the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), New Delhi. Shri Mahalik emphasized the pivotal role of standardization in improving agricultural productivity, marketability, and sustainability, reiterating that agriculture remains a priority area for BIS.

Building upon the BIS insights, a practical session followed, focused on a case study-driven discussion titled “The Agriculture Testing Ecosystem: A Stakeholder Perspective,” emphasizing the need for collaboration between institutions, industries, and farmers for effective implementation of standards.

The formal 19th meeting of FAD 22 was chaired by Dr. P. K. Ghosh, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of Visva Bharati in virtual mode, and co-ordinated by Shri Debasish Mahalik. A major outcome of the session was the finalization of the annual standardization programme for 2025–26, which covers key themes such as Integrated Farming Systems (IFS), Spineless Cactus Production, WADI Systems, Agri-Voltaics, Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), and India GAP.

Further, the draft report on a standardization strategy for Smart Agriculture in India, prepared by the FAD 22 Working Group, was reviewed and discussed in detail.

The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from over 35 experts, representing ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), Industry representatives, Consumer Organizations, and Ministries, marking a successful convergence of knowledge and policy direction.

The emphasis of the committee remains on developing practical, farmer-centric national standards that are scientifically robust and socially implementable.

The entire programme was successfully coordinated by Dr. Amitava Dey, Dr. P.C. Chandran, Dr. Rohan Kumar Raman, Dr. Arti Kumari, Shri Banda Sainath and Sh. Umesh Kumar Mishra. The Vote of Thanks was graciously delivered by Dr. P.C. Chandran, Principal Scientist, DLFM, ICAR-RCER, Patna.