**Executive Summary**
This document responds to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 669 concerning the Government's measures to conserve and improve traditional agricultural produce and seeds in the country. The ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) is the nodal organization for germplasm conservation. The response details initiatives like the National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) and the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights (PPVFR) Act 2001. The question was to be answered on February 3rd, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Role of ICAR-NBPGR:**
* ICAR-NBPGR is the nodal agency for conserving germplasm, including local landraces and traditional varieties.
* The National Genebank, maintained by ICAR-NBPGR, holds 4.74 lakh accessions of 2147 species.
* ICAR-NBPGR evaluates and shares information about germplasm collections with plant breeders.
* **Crop Improvement Programmes:**
* Traditional varieties are promoted and used in crop improvement programmes.
* The All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRPs) use local varieties/germplasm to develop new cultivars.
* 509 varieties in 26 crops have been developed using trait-specific germplasm.
* **National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM):**
* The NFSNM supports interventions for boosting seed production of traditional varieties.
* This support includes Production Incentive, Assistance on Seed Distribution, and Assistance for Capacity Building (with varying Gol and State Share percentages).
* Assistance is provided for the Establishment of Seed Banks (100% Gol Share).
* Implementing agencies include Agriculture Departments of States/UTs, State Seed Corporations, State Agricultural Universities, ICAR-Institutes, Central Agricultural Universities, and National Seeds Corporation (NSC).
* The Government of Odisha promotes traditional millet varieties under the Odisha Millet Mission.
* **Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights (PPVFR) Act 2001:**
* The PPVFR Act grants rights to farmers for the conservation of traditional varieties.
* 5241 farmers' varieties, including landraces and traditional varieties, have been registered.
* Farmers and communities involved in conservation are awarded/rewarded/recognized under PPVFR Rules.
* Awards include Plant Genome Saviour Community Awards, Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Reward, and Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Recognition.
* Financial support for conserving traditional varieties is provisioned under PPVFR Rules 2025.
**Impact Analysis**
**Farmers/Farming Communities**
* **Impact:** Recognition and reward for conserving traditional varieties, enhanced rights under PPVFR Act.
* **Action Required:** Register varieties under the PPVFR Act and participate in award/recognition programs.
**Plant Breeders**
* **Impact:** Access to evaluated germplasm collections for crop improvement programmes.
* **Action Required:** Utilize germplasm information from ICAR-NBPGR in breeding programmes.
**State Governments/Union Territories**
* **Impact:** Implementing agencies for NFSNM components.
* **Action Required:** Support seed production and distribution of traditional varieties.
**ICAR Institutes/State Agricultural Universities**
* **Impact:** Involvement in research projects and implementation of seed production programs.
* **Action Required:** Conduct research to improve traditional varieties and participate in seed production efforts.
**Consumers (particularly in tribal areas)**
* **Impact:** Increased availability and consumption of traditional varieties of millets and improved nutritional security.
* **Action Required:** N/A
Key Entities Referenced
Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights (PPVFR) Act 2001: Aims to give rights to farmers for the conservation of traditional varieties of plants.
ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR): Nodal organization for conservation of germplasm including local landraces and traditional varieties.
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: Union ministry responsible for agriculture and farmer welfare.
National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM): Mission with a component for supporting the production of traditional varieties of seeds.
Odisha Millet Mission: A program by the Government of Odisha to promote the traditional varieties of millets.
OIH
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 669
TO BE ANSWERED ON 3RD FEBRUARY, 2026
RESEARCH TO IMPROVE EXISTING LOCAL VARIETIES
669. SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA:
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 conserve and augment traditional
agricultural produce in the country;
(b) whether the Government proposes to encourage research work to improve existing
local varieties of agricultural produce and seeds; and
(c) if so, the details thereof along with the steps being taken in this regard?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृषि और ककसान कल्याण राज्य मंत्री (SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY)
(a) to (c): ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) is the nodal
organization for conservation of germplasm including local landraces and traditional
varieties in its National Genebank which currently holds 4.74 lakh accessions of 2147
species including 85633 landraces and 14515 traditional cultivars viz., 208 and 153 of
Agroforestry, 13690 and 7776 of Cereals, 244 and 123 of Fibre crops, 1563 and 48 of
Forage crops, 7 and 6 of Fruits & Nuts, 10873 and 1690 of Grain legumes, 1200 and 489
of Medicinal & Aromatic plants, 16496 and 776 of Millets, 32267 and 1577 of Oilseeds,
15 and 14 of Ornamental, 1676 and 400 of Pseudocereals, 1200 and 213 of Spices
Condiments and Flavour and 6194 and 1250 of Vegetables, respectively.
ICAR-NBPGR is characterizing/ evaluating the germplasm collections including
traditional varieties and landraces; and the information is shared with the plant breeders.
1Traditional varieties are promoted and traditional varieties with special traits are used in
the crop improvement programmes in different crops. The All India Coordinated
Research Projects (AICRPs) on various crops utilize local varieties/ germplasm including
traditional varieties as base material to develop new cultivars by introgression of superior
agronomic traits. Till now, total 509 varieties in 26 crops viz. rice, maize, horse gram,
linseed, Indian mustard, pigeonpea etc have been developed using trait specific
germplasm including traditional cultivars.
Under National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) Government of India
(GoI) has component for supporting the interventions for “Boosting seed production of
traditional varieties” including Production Incentive, Assistance on Seed Distribution,
Assistance for Capacity Building (60% GoI Share & 40% State Share in Normal States
and 90% GoI Share & 10% State Share in North-Eastern and Hilly States), Assistance
for Establishment of Seed Banks (100% GoI Share). Agriculture Department of
States/Union Territories, State Seed Corporations and State Agricultural Universities,
ICAR-Institutes, Central Agricultural Universities or National Seeds Corporation (NSC)
and other National Level Agencies are implementing agencies for this component.
Government of Odisha is promoting the traditional varieties of millets under Odisha Millet
Mission in tribal areas. The Mission is involved to increase millet production and
consumption, improve nutritional security, support decentralized millet enterprises, and
institutionalize millet inclusion in public nutrition schemes.
Government has enacted the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights
(PPVFR) Act 2001, which is globally first initiative of giving rights to the farmers for
conservation of their traditional varieties. Since the establishment, Protection of Plant
Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority, 5241 farmers varieties including the land races
and traditional varieties have been registered. Also, the farmers and communities
involved in conservation of farmers varieties, land races and traditional varieties are
awarded/ rewarded/ recognized as per PPVFR Rules (2012 and 2018) which include
Plant Genome Saviour Community Awards, Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Reward and
Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Recognition. So far 45 Plant Genome Saviour Community
Awards, 69 Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Rewards and 88 Plant Genome Saviour
Farmer Recognition have been conferred to farmer(s)/ farming communities across
different states and UTs. Provision of financial support for conservation of traditional
varieties has been made under PPVFR Rules 2025 also.
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