**Executive Summary**
On May 16, 2026, Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired a high-level meeting to review the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) and activities of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The session focused on enhancing farmers' income and national food security through sustainable, low-cost, and scientific farming practices. Key action items include the rapid development of state-specific agricultural roadmaps to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Strategic Objectives for Agriculture**
* Transform agriculture into a more productive, low-cost, and profitable profession to support the large population dependent on it.
* Promote integrated and sustainable farming practices to increase farmer livelihoods while ensuring environmental protection.
* Implement "scientific agriculture" as a necessary response to the global and domestic challenges posed by climate change.
**Operational Mandates and Roadmaps**
* Develop state-wise agricultural roadmaps tailored to the specific agro-climatic conditions of each region.
* Collaborate with state governments to ensure roadmaps are practical and locally relevant.
* Accelerate the implementation of ICAR’s action plan to achieve established targets ahead of schedule.
**Current Progress and Institutional Updates**
* Independent agricultural roadmaps are currently being prepared for Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Rajasthan following requests from these states.
* ICAR Director General Dr. M. L. Jat provided a comprehensive briefing on national programs, future roadmaps, and the Council’s efforts to maximize benefits for farming communities.
**Impact Analysis**
**ICAR and Ministry Officials**
**Impact**
Officials are under increased pressure to deliver results more rapidly and align research activities with regional climate needs.
**Action Required**
They must work with greater energy to complete state-wise roadmaps and achieve programmatic targets ahead of the original schedule.
**State Governments**
**Impact**
States will receive customized agricultural strategies based on their unique agro-climatic conditions, requiring closer coordination with the central government.
**Action Required**
State authorities must provide consent and collaborate with ICAR to facilitate the preparation and implementation of independent agricultural roadmaps.
**Farmers**
**Impact**
Farmers are the primary beneficiaries of the shift toward integrated, scientific, and low-cost farming intended to boost net income.
**Action Required**
Farmers are encouraged to practically adopt integrated farming techniques and scientific practices to strengthen sustainability and productivity.
Key Entities Referenced
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): The primary organization whose functioning, activities, and expenditure roadmap were reviewed in the high-level meeting.
Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC): The committee responsible for evaluating ICAR's financial plans and program roadmap discussed during the meeting.
Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare who chaired the meeting and directed the development of state-specific agricultural roadmaps.
Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE): The nodal department whose Secretary briefed the Minister on nationwide agricultural programs and the ICAR action plan.
State-wise Agricultural Roadmaps: A strategic initiative directed for preparation in states like Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Rajasthan based on agro-climatic conditions.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
High-level meeting on ICAR’s Expenditure
Finance Committee held under the chairmanship
of Union Agriculture Minister
Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan
conducts detailed review of activities of Indian Council of
Agricultural Research
By promoting integrated and sustainable farming, we will
increase farmers’ income and also protect Mother Earth:
Union Agriculture Minister
Every possible effort will be made to make Indian agriculture
more productive, low-cost and profitable: Shri Shivraj Singh
Chouhan
Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for a large
population and a strong pillar of the Indian economy: Union
Agriculture Minister
Posted On: 16 MAY 2026 6:00PM by PIB Delhi
A high-level meeting related to the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) of the Indian Council of
Agricultural Research (ICAR) was held today under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Agriculture
and Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, at his office located at 12,
Safdarjung Road in New Delhi.
During the meeting, the Union Minister conducted a detailed review of the functioning and activities of
the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. On the occasion, ICAR Director General and Secretary of the
Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Dr M. L. Jat, briefed the Union Minister in
detail about the various programmes and activities being carried out under ICAR across the country.
He also informed the Union Minister about the future roadmap and explained how the Council is working
to ensure maximum benefit for Indian agriculture and farming communities across the country.
During the meeting, Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan instructed officials that agriculture is the
primary source of livelihood for a large section of the country’s population and provides a strong
foundation to the Indian economy. He said that all efforts and energies should be directed towards making
Indian agriculture more productive, low-cost and a profitable profession.The Union Minister laid special emphasis on the wide-scale promotion and expansion of integrated
farming and said that farmer brothers and sisters should be encouraged to adopt it in a practical manner.
He stated that this would help increase farmers’ incomes and strengthen sustainable farming practices.
Shri Chouhan said that scientific agriculture is the need of the hour. He noted that the impact of climate
change has now become clearly visible not only in India but across the world. Keeping these
circumstances in mind, he directed officials to work rapidly, with the consent of states, towards preparing
state-wise agricultural roadmaps in accordance with the agro-climatic conditions of each state.
Officials informed the Union Agriculture Minister that work in this direction is already underway
following requests from states such as Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Rajasthan, and that
independent agricultural roadmaps for these states would be prepared soon.
Expressing satisfaction over ICAR’s action plan, Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed
officials to work with greater energy and enthusiasm so that the targets could be achieved ahead of
schedule. Senior officials of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research were also present at the meeting.
*****
RC/MS/MK
(Release ID: 2261782) Visitor Counter : 356
Read this release in: Urdu , ही , Marathi , Gujarati , Tamil , Kannada