Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched 109 high-yielding, climate-resilient, and biofortified crop varieties at the India Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi. During the event, he interacted with farmers and scientists, emphasizing the importance of value addition in agriculture.
The Prime Minister highlighted the benefits of these new crop varieties, which are expected to significantly reduce farmers’ costs and positively impact the environment. He also discussed the growing demand for nutritious foods and the shift towards natural and organic farming, noting the increasing trust among consumers in organic products.
Farmers attending the event praised the government’s efforts to promote natural farming and acknowledged the role of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in raising awareness. The Prime Minister encouraged KVKs to continue educating farmers about the advantages of new crop varieties regularly.
PM Modi commended the scientists for developing these innovative crop varieties and noted that their work aligns with his earlier suggestion to mainstream underutilized crops. The 109 new varieties span 61 different crops, including 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops. The field crops include various cereals, millets, forage crops, oilseeds, pulses, sugarcane, cotton, and other potential crops. The horticultural crops feature a range of fruits, vegetables, plantation crops, tuber crops, spices, flowers, and medicinal plants.
