Five Multidisciplinary Teams, One Mission: Turning Research into Farmer-Centric Solutions

The three-day Institute Research Council Meeting 2026 of the ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna concluded here on Friday with a renewed focus on developing integrated, climate-resilient and farmer-centric technologies for sustainable agricultural development in Eastern India. The meeting, held from August 5 to 7, reviewed on-going research programmes and deliberated on new multidisciplinary initiatives aligned with national priorities and the emerging requirements of farmers in the region.

Dr. Anup Das, Director, ICAR–RCER and Chairman, IRC, called upon scientists to adopt the "One Team, One Task" approach and align research with national priorities through multidisciplinary, technology-driven and farmer-centric innovations. He urged scientists to set clear goals, accelerate innovation and work collectively as a team to develop impactful solutions to agricultural challenges. He further emphasized that the challenges and constraints encountered during the research process often provide the foundation for high-quality and impactful outcomes.

During the three-day meeting, 85 on-going sub-research projects under five major thematic programmes were comprehensively reviewed, while several new multidisciplinary activities were proposed in frontier areas. The research agenda was organized under five major themes, bringing together scientists from different disciplines to develop demand-driven technologies through an integrated approach. 

Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Head, Division of Crop Research, led the theme 1: Regenerative and Integrated Farming Systems for Climate-Resilient Agriculture. The group focused on greening rice fallow area through conservation agriculture, sustainable intensification of rice- wheat system, natural farming, integrated farming systems models for small and marginal farmers, crop diversification, development for multiple stress tolerant crop varieties, agroforestry, ecosystem services and plant protection. In his remarks, Dr Kumar emphasized on developing farming system models that can withstand climatic stresses while improving productivity, profitability and resource-use efficiency.

The second theme, Genetic Resource Management and Improved Production Technologies of Horticultural Crops, was led by Dr Awani Singh, Head, RCER-FSRCHPR, Ranchi. Deliberations focused on genetic-resource management, varietal improvement, improved production technologies, protected cultivation, post-harvest management and value addition. Dr Singh reaffirmed the need to connect genetic-resource conservation and varietal improvement of fruits and vegetables with farmers’ requirements and market opportunities so that scientific advances result in improved productivity, quality and income for horticultural farmers.

Dr A. Upadhyaya, Head, DLWM led the theme on Natural Resource Management for Enhancing Land and Water Productivity. The discussions centred on efficient management of soil, land and water resources, increasing water productivity & nutrient use efficiency, precision water and nutrient management and renewable-energy applications. Dr Upadhyaya told scientists to work on solar energy utilization, sensor based irrigation, mapping rice fallow area and efficient use of natural resources.

The theme on Sustainable Livestock and Fisheries Production Systems was led by Dr Kamal Sarma, Head, DLFM. The deliberations under the theme focussed on livestock and fisheries improvement, sustainable production systems, crop-livestock-fish integration, genetic resource conservation, animal health, disease surveillance, resource recycling and livelihood enhancement. Dr Sarma highlighted the potential of integrated livestock and fisheries systems to diversify farm income, improve nutritional security and strengthen the resilience of small and marginal farmers. 

The fifth theme, Socio-Economics, Extension and Policy Research, was led by Dr Ujjwal Kumar, Head, DSEE. The group examined the socio-economic dimensions of agricultural development, technology adoption, carbon credit, AI/ML application for forecasting, technology dissemination and policy support. Dr Kumar emphasized that impact assessment of agricultural  technologies must be carried out using robust methodology to find socio-economic and environmental  impact on farmers’ livelihood and income level. 

The meeting also emphasized taking proven research outputs, including improved varieties and technologies, beyond experimental conditions for wider field adoption through scalable and economically viable solutions. On the concluding day, the theme leaders emphasized that future agricultural research must be integrated, demand-driven, climate-resilient and impact-oriented. During inaugural function, an MoU was signed with Development Focus, Bengaluru, for vegetable seed production of improved varieties developed at FSRCHPR, Ranchi. A documentary showcasing the success story of Udlu village, Ramgarh, by RCER-KVK, Ramgarh under the Tribal Sub Plan was also released during the concluding session. The meeting concluded with a commitment to strengthen multidisciplinary research and develop technologies that can move effectively from laboratory to field, with farmers’ needs at the centre of the research process.

The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Dr. P.C. Chandran, Member secretary.