Parliament Question: Research on Dryland Agriculture

OIH GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5161 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24TH MARCH, 2026 RESEARCH ON DRYLAND AGRICULTURE 5161. DR. SHIVAJI BANDAPPA KALGE: SHRI BHUMARE SANDIPANRAO ASARAM: SHRI NILESH DNYANDEV LANKE: Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृषि और ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state: (a) the measures taken by the Government to establish a Mission Office of the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) in the country particularly in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra with the objective of undertaking necessary and applied research on dryland agriculture to support distressed farmers and to facilitate the application of its outcomes in the Marathwada region along with the details thereof particularly with respect to Latur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Ahilyanagar districts; and (b) the steps taken by the Government with regard to the Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI) for launching programmes focused on supporting distressed farmers in the Marathwada region along with the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृषि और ककसान कल्याण राज्य मंत्री (SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY) (a): ICAR- Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) is working to support distressed farmers and to facilitate the application of research outcomes in the Marathwada region (including Latur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Ahilyanagar districts) ICAR- CRIDA is working extensively with an overall aim to conduct essential and strategic research on dryland 1agriculture through All India Coordinated Research Project on Dry Land Agriculture (AICRPDA) and All India Coordinated Research Project on Agro-Meteorology (AICRPAM) centres and National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture - Technology demonstration component (NICRA-TDC): (1). AICRPDA Parbhani centre located in Marathwada region is working for evaluation and establishment of region-specific crops and cropping systems; rainwater management; nutrient management; energy management; alternate land use management and Rainfed Integrated Farming Systems (RIFS). (2). AICRPAM Parbhani centre located in Marathwada region is working in the area of resource characterization; establishing crop-weather-insect-pest relationship of major crops in Marathwada region, and dissemination of region based agro-met advisories. (3). Jalna, Latur and Osmanabad centres of NICRA-TDC through the KVKs situated in the Marathwada region are upscaling the climate resilient technologies in the region under four modules, i.e., natural resource management, crops and cropping system, livestock, village level institutions, capacity building etc. The major technologies which are being upscaled in the region are short duration and drought escaping soybean variety (MAUS-158); short duration pigeonpea variety (BDN-711) for the frequently drought prone regions; stress tolerant variety of safflower (PBNS-12) for receding moisture conditions; stress tolerant rabi sorghum variety (Parbhani Moti); Intercropping systems for stabilizing production and to minimize risk in drought prone- regions for risk minimization in frequently drought prone regions of Maharashtra to assist struggling farmers. Besides, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani and Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri located in the regions catering the requirement of research, capacity building and extension through KVKs (Latur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Ahilyanagar involved in technology evaluation, location specific recommendations including agro-advisories, and capacity building of farmers. (b): ICAR-IGFRI has developed Fodder Resource Development Plan for Maharashtra including Marathwada Region focused on aiding farmers in distress. This Plan helped in reducing the gap of 31.3% shortage of dry fodder and 59.4% shortage of green fodder in Maharashtra. To further add the forage availability, a policy was developed for Indian Rangeland and Grassland Conservation, Restoration and Sustenance, which helped in rejuvenating the grasslands of Maharashtra. 2Further, Two Centres of All India Coordinated Research Project on Forage Crops and Utilization (AICRP-FC&U) supported from ICAR are already working at Pune and Rahuri, to generate and disseminate the technologies for whole of the Maharashtra including Marathwada region on fodder Crops in Rabi and Kharif season on Farmers’ Field. During the last five years, more than 50 varieties in different fodder crops have been developed and recommended by AICRP-FC&U and ICAR-IGFRI for the cultivation in the different parts of Maharashtra. Detail of 40 most suitable varieties for Marathwada region is given in Annexure. ****** 3ANNEXURE [Part (b) of Lok Sabha USQ No. 5161 dated 24th March, 2026] Fodder crop varieties/hybrids for Marathwada (Maharashtra) released during 2020-2025 S. No. Crop Variety 1 Fodder Oat OL-1964, HFO-1211, JO-05-30-4, OL-1869-1 and OL-1861 2 Berseem JHB-20-1, JB-08-17, JB-07-15, BM 14, BM 12, JHB 18-1 and JHB 18-2 3 Fodder Pearl Millet ADV-175020, ADV-2285, ADV-2184, SBH-104, 16ADV0111, 16ADV0055, JPM-18-7, BAIF Bajra-5, BAIF Bajra-6 , TSFB-18-1 and ADV0061 4 Fodder Maize FSB 2021-1, PJHM-1, FSM-2021-1, CMH 12-686 and KDFM-8 5 Fodder Lathyrus BAUL-106, BCK-19-21A, JCL-22-1, JCL-21-1, JCL-21-3 and BL-5 6 Bajra × Napier TSBN-15-15 and BNH-26 Hybrid 7 Lucerne BAIF-Lucerne-5, LLC-6 and TNLC 15 (CO-4) 8 Dinanath Grass JHD-19-4 ****** 4