ICAR-NBAGR celebrated its 40th Foundation Day on 21st September 2023, through organizing various activities for farmers and scientific community. Dr S L Goswami, Former Vice Chancellor, Banda University of Agriculture & Technology and Former Director, ICAR-NAARM graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Dr G K Gaur, Asst. Director General (AP&B), ICAR and Dr Gyanendra Singh Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat & Barley Research were the Guests of Honour.
Dr S L Goswami, delivering the Foundation Day Lecture on the theme of ‘AnGR Biodiversity of India: Readiness for Impending Climate Change’ said that our native AnGR are rich in many of the important attributes like heat tolerance, thriving on less fodder and water, lower disease and parasite borne diseases, which may be more useful in the climate change era. There is a need to evaluate these traits of our AnGR so that those can be utilized for developing resilient livestock and more sustainable animal production system in the country, he urged the scientists. He also congratulated the Director & staff for the outstanding journey of the Bureau, achieving many milestones and fame nationally and internationally.
Dr G K Gaur also congratulated the remarkable achievements of the Bureau and way forward to achieve the objectives. Appreciating the efforts for documenting the native AnGR of the country in mission mode, he also urged to boost the breed registration process so as to achieve the targets of the mission. He also urged for the registration of synthetic breeds and animal varieties by the Bureau.
Dr Gyanendra Singh Director, ICAR-IIWBR congratulated the Bureau on the Foundation Day. Addressing the staff, he told that plant and animal genetic resources are precious and also interdependent in agriculture, that require an integrated approach for their sustainable utilization for the future.
In his welcome address, Dr B P Mishra briefly presented the institute’s milestone achievements of national importance. The efforts of the Bureau in AnGR management of the country were acknowledged internationally by the FAO, when India elected as Co-chair of the 12th ITWG-AnGR Session in Rome this year. He highlighted recent achievements of the Bureau including identification of potential populations under the mission, germplasm cryopreservation of threated breeds and SDG2 National Indicators.
Updated version of website of the Bureau was also launched by the dignitaries.
Dr Arjava Sharma, Former Director; ICAR-NBAGR, Dr B Prakash, Former Director, ICAR-CIRC, Dr R K Pundir, Head, AGR Division, Dr S P Dixit, Head AG Division, Dr Ravi Kumar Gandham, Head AB Division, retired employees of the Bureau, staff members and research scholars were also present. Dr S K Niranjan, PS & I/c PME Cell and Dr Sonika Ahlawat, Sr Scientist coordinated the program.
On the occasion, a Farmers -Scientists Interaction Program was organized to sensitize animal keepers in Kirajpur village of Karnal by the scientists’ team of the Bureau. About 60 farmers along with veterinary Officers participated in the program. During interaction with the farmers, scientists sensitized the farmers on indigenous animal breeds and their management and also replied their queries related to animals. A kit for livestock, containing mineral mixture, calcium, liver tonic, digestive stimulant and dewormer were distributed to farmers under SCSCP plan. Farmers were also served with millet based roasted multigrain to mark the International Year of millets. Dr Raja KN, Sr Scientist, AGR Division coordinated the program.
Poster competition was organized on the theme of ‘AnGR Biodiversity of India: Readiness for Impending Climate Change’ in the Bureau. About 10 research scholars participated in the competition and presented their posters. Guests, staff members and research scholars took a keen interest in the posters on the theme. All the winners were awarded by the chief Guests. Dr Amod Kumar, Scientist, AG Division coordinated the program.
To commemorate the 40th Foundation Day, 40 trees were planted by the Guests and Bureau staff at Vande-Mataram ground of the institute. Mr Naresh Yadav coordinated the plantation program.