**Executive Summary**
On April 8, 2026, Dr. M. L. Jat, Secretary (DARE) and DG (ICAR), reviewed ongoing research and development at ICAR-IIWBR and ICAR-CSSRI in Karnal. The review highlighted progress in climate-resilient wheat and barley, conservation agriculture, and resource-efficient innovations intended to ensure domestic food security and support the "Viksit Bharat @2047" vision. Key outcomes include significant reductions in fertilizer and water use, alongside the widespread adoption of biofortified crop varieties.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Conservation Agriculture and Resource Efficiency**
* **Strategic Collaboration:** Since 2009, ICAR and CIMMYT have operated a long-term research platform at CSSRI, Karnal, focusing on climate-resilient maize-wheat systems.
* **Environmental Gains:** Initiatives have achieved up to an 85% saving in irrigation water, a 51% reduction in fuel consumption, and a 46% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions.
* **Soil and Productivity:** Findings show a 33% increase in system productivity and a doubling of soil microbial populations and organic carbon levels over 15 years.
* **Economic Benefits:** Implementation of conservation practices has nearly doubled household incomes while reducing dependence on volatile global markets.
**Innovations in Wheat Research**
* **Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI):** This technology enables a 25% reduction in fertilizer use without compromising productivity; 19 promising BNI wheat lines are currently under evaluation.
* **Biofortification:** ICAR has released 55 biofortified wheat varieties enriched with iron, zinc, and protein, now covering nearly 45% of India’s wheat cultivation area.
* **Disease Management:** The Indian Wheat Rust Research and Surveillance Programme monitors 10 million hectares across a network of 30 institutions to provide early warnings for yellow rust.
* **Climate Adaptation:** Pre-breeding programs are utilizing wild relatives (e.g., *Aegilops tauschii*) to introduce traits for heat, drought, and salinity tolerance.
**Diversification and Sustainability**
* **Barley Development:** Research at IIWBR emphasizes barley as a resource-efficient crop with lower water and fertilizer requirements, suitable for food, feed, and industrial use.
* **Technological Adoption:** Practices such as zero tillage and mechanized sowing have demonstrated 6–10% improvements in system productivity and up to 75% savings in time and fuel.
**Impact Analysis**
**Farmers**
**Impact**
Farmers benefit from increased incomes, reduced input costs (fertilizer and fuel), and enhanced resilience against climate variability. Biofortified varieties also offer improved nutritional outcomes for farming households.
**Action Required**
Adopt climate-resilient and biofortified crop varieties; implement conservation agriculture practices such as zero tillage and residue retention.
**ICAR and Research Institutions**
**Impact**
Research efforts are being validated through high-impact publications (e.g., *Nature* and *Science*) and are successfully informing national policies on water conservation and crop diversification.
**Action Required**
Continue multi-location evaluation of the 19 BNI wheat lines and expand surveillance networks to protect crops from emerging disease threats.
**National Economy and Environment**
**Impact**
The adoption of BNI-enabled wheat on 25% of cultivated area could save approximately ₹2,000 crore annually. Environmental benefits include reduced groundwater depletion and significant progress toward carbon neutrality goals.
**Action Required**
Support policy frameworks that encourage the replacement of older crop varieties with new, resource-efficient, and nutrient-rich alternatives.
Key Entities Referenced
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): The primary organization spearheading transformative research in conservation agriculture and climate-resilient crop systems to ensure national food security.
Dr. M. L. Jat: Secretary (DARE) and Director General (ICAR) who oversees the strategic review and implementation of agricultural R&D initiatives.
ICAR–Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR), Karnal: The central research institute and location responsible for developing climate-resilient and nutrient-rich wheat and barley varieties.
Indian Wheat Rust Research and Surveillance Programme: A nationwide surveillance network covering 10 million hectares to protect wheat crops from rust diseases through coordinated monitoring and early warning systems.
Biofortification Initiatives: An ICAR-led program that has released 55 nutrient-rich wheat varieties, now covering nearly 45 percent of India's wheat cultivation area.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
Secretary (DARE) & DG, ICAR reviews ongoing
research and development initiatives at ICAR-
IIWBR, Karnal
The country is well-prepared and expects higher output this
year, ensuring both domestic food security and the ability to
support other countries in the current global scenario: Dr. M.
L. Jat
ICAR Advances Conservation Agriculture and Climate-
Resilient Wheat Research to Strengthen Food and Nutritional
Security
ICAR’s Science-Led Innovations in Karnal Boost Water
Efficiency, Farmer Incomes and Climate Resilience
India Strengthens Aatmanirbhar Agriculture through ICAR’s
Climate-Resilient Wheat, BNI and Biofortification Initiatives
ICAR Research Delivers Major Gains in Productivity, Soil
Health and Sustainability, Supporting Viksit Bharat @2047
Posted On: 08 APR 2026 4:53PM by PIB Delhi
In a significant step towards advancing Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, the
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is spearheading transformative research in conservation
agriculture and climate-resilient wheat and barley systems to strengthen national food security, fuel self-
reliance, climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods.Dr. M. L. Jat, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director
General, ICAR, today visited the ICAR–Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR) and
ICAR–Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI), Karnal, to review ongoing research and
development initiatives. A media team from Delhi also accompanied the visit.
During the visit, Dr. Jat reviewed key research activities aimed at enhancing productivity, reducing input
costs, and improving resilience to climate variability in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, while emphasizing the
importance of advancing climate-resilient and resource-efficient agricultural practices.
Highlighting India’s preparedness in wheat production, Dr. Jat stated that the country is well-prepared and
expects higher output this year, ensuring both domestic food security and the ability to support other
countries in the current global scenario. He further emphasized that ICAR’s focus remains on developing
climate-resilient and nutrient-rich crop varieties to address climate challenges while improving farmers’
incomes and public health. He also underlined that innovations such as Biological Nitrification Inhibition
(BNI) are enabling reduction in fertilizer use by up to 25 percent without compromising productivity,
benefiting both farmers and the environment.India’s agricultural sector, which transitioned from food insecurity to surplus production in the post-Green
Revolution era, is now being reoriented to address emerging challenges such as groundwater depletion,
crop residue burning, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate-induced risks. Some of these projects
are being implemented in collaboration with CIMMYT, BISA, and JIRCAS.
To address these priorities, ICAR, in collaboration with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement
Center (CIMMYT), has been leading a long-term, systems-based research platform since 2009 at CSSRI,
Karnal, focusing on locally tailored, climate-resilient and resource-efficient cropping systems, particularly
the maize-wheat production system.
This conservation agriculture platform has generated significant outcomes, including up to 85 percent
savings in irrigation water, 28 percent reduction in fertilizer use, 51 percent savings in fuel consumption,
and up to 95 percent reduction in crop residue burning. It has also contributed to a 46 percent reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions, up to 33 percent increase in system productivity, and nearly doubling of
household incomes, thereby strengthening national food and nutrition security while reducing dependence
on external inputs and volatile global markets.
The initiative has also demonstrated strong ecological benefits, with soil microbial populations and
organic carbon levels doubling within 15 years, improving soil health, climate resilience and supporting
national commitments towards carbon neutrality and One Health goals. The platform has emerged as a
hub for international collaboration, with research published in over 50 high-impact journals including
Nature and Science, and findings informing policies on crop diversification, water conservation, residue
management and mechanization.During the visit, Dr. Jat also reviewed the Indian Wheat Rust Research and Surveillance Programme,
which plays a critical role in protecting wheat crops from stripe, leaf, and stem rust diseases through
coordinated monitoring, rapid diagnostics, and timely advisories. Long-term surveillance has established
predictable patterns of yellow rust occurrence in regions such as Ropar (Punjab) and Yamunanagar
(Haryana), strengthening early warning systems. A nationwide network of over 30 institutions and Krishi
Vigyan Kendras supports surveillance across nearly 10 million hectares, with more than 1,000 advanced
wheat lines evaluated annually for resistance.
Progress in BNI-enabled wheat development was also reviewed, highlighting its role in improving
nitrogen use efficiency by reducing losses due to leaching and emissions. Research integrating breeding,
genomics, and multi-location evaluation is underway, with 19 promising wheat lines currently under
evaluation at 70 percent of recommended nitrogen levels. It is estimated that adoption on 25 percent of
cultivated area, along with a 30 percent reduction in nitrogen application, could result in annual savings of
approximately ₹2,000 crore.
Dr. Jat further reviewed pre-breeding programmes utilizing wild relatives such as Aegilops, including
Aegilops tauschii, to introduce traits for tolerance to drought, heat, salinity, and diseases. These efforts are
crucial for developing climate-resilient wheat varieties capable of addressing future challenges and
ensuring long-term food security.
In the area of nutritional security, ICAR has released 55 biofortified wheat varieties enriched with iron,
zinc, and protein. Nearly 45 percent of the wheat cultivation area is now under biofortified varieties,
reflecting increasing farmer adoption and a high varietal replacement rate.
Dr. Jat also reviewed conservation agriculture practices such as zero tillage, residue retention, and
mechanized sowing technologies, which have demonstrated improvements in system productivity by 6–10
percent, along with significant gains in soil organic carbon and savings of up to 70–75 percent in fuel and
time.Barley research and development at IIWBR was also assessed, highlighting its importance as a climate-
resilient and resource-efficient crop. With lower water and fertilizer requirements and increasing demand
in food, feed, and industrial sectors, barley is emerging as a key component of sustainable agriculture,
particularly due to its high dietary fibre content and role in health-focused food products.
By integrating scientific innovation with field-level implementation, ICAR continues to empower farmers,
strengthen rural economies, and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for women and youth,
reinforcing India’s commitment to resilient, self-reliant and sustainable agriculture.
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