INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES[ICAR]: MANDATE, ORGANISATIONAL SETUP AND THRUST AREA OF RESEARCH IN ANIMAL SCIENCE

INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES[ICAR]: MANDATE, ORGANISATIONAL SETUP AND THRUST AREA OF RESEARCH IN ANIMAL SCIENCE

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is an autonomous organization under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. Formerly known as Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, it was established on 16 July 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in pursuance of the report of the Royal Commission on Agriculture. The ICAR has its headquarters at New Delhi.

Historically in the year 1905, the Agricultural Research Institute was established at Pusa, Bihar by Lord Curzon. The land was donated by Mr.Phipps of USA after whom the place was named as PUSA. The Phipps laboratory in division of soil science and agricultural chemistry at Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) was is named after him. The Council is the apex body for co-ordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country. With 99 ICAR institutes and 53 agricultural universities (including veterinary universities) spread across the country this is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world.

The ICAR has played a pioneering role in ushering Green Revolution and subsequent developments in agriculture in India through its research and technology development that has enabled the country to increase the production of food grains by 4 times, horticultural crops by 6 times, fish by 9 times (marine 5 times and inland 17 times), milk 6 times and eggs 27 times since 1950-51, thus making a visible impact on the national food and nutritional security. It has played a major role in promoting excellence in higher education in agriculture. It is engaged in cutting edge areas of science and technology development and its scientists are internationally acknowledged in their fields. 

Mandate of ICAR

 To plan, undertake, aid, promote and co-ordinate education, research and its application in agriculture, agroforestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, home science and allied sciences

 To act as a clearing house of research and general information relating to agriculture, animal husbandry, home science and allied sciences, and fisheries through its publications and information system; and instituting and promoting transfer of technology programmes

 To provide, undertake and promote consultancy services in the fields of education, research, training and dissemination of information in agriculture, agroforestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, home science and allied sciences

 To look into the problems relating to broader areas of rural development concerning agriculture, including postharvest technology by developing co-operative programmes with other organizations such as the Indian Council of Social Science Research, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the universities

Some Milestones

Initiation of the first All-India Co-ordinated Research Project on Maize in 1957

 Status of Deemed University accorded to IARI in 1958

 Establishment of the I State Agricultural University on land grant pattern at Pantnagar in 1960

 Placement of different agricultural research institutes under the purview of ICAR in 1966

 Creation of Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) in the Ministry of Agriculture in 1973

 Opening of first Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) at Puducherry (Pondicherry) in 1974

 Establishment of Agricultural Research Service and Agricultural Scientists' Recruitment Board in 1975

 Launching of Lab-to-Land Programme and the National Agricultural Research Project (NARP) in 1979

 Initiation of Institution-Village Linkage Programme (IVLP) in 1995

 Establishment of National Gene Bank at New Delhi in 1996

 The ICAR was bestowed with the King Baudouin Award in 1989 for its valuable contribution in ushering in the Green Revolution. Again awarded King Baudouin Award in 2004 for research and development efforts made under partnership in Rice Wheat Consortium.

 Launching of National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) in 1998 and National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) in 2005

Organizational setup for Research & Extension

In order to meet the various challenges with respect to research, extension and development policy decisions the Indian Council of Agricultural Science is supported following Institutions across the country.

 Deemed Universities: 4 deemed universities

 Research Institutions: 48

 National Research centers(NRCs):17 NRCs

 National Bureaux:6

 Directorate /Project Directorate: 24

 All-India Co-ordinated Research Projects(AICRPs): 40

 Krishi Vigynana Kendras (KVKs): 40

 Other projects (including International): 10

ICAR- Animal Science Division

Animal Science Division of ICAR coordinates and monitors research activities in its 18 Research Institutes and their Regional Centers. Deputy Director-General (Animal Sciences), Dr.K.M.L Pathak is the Head of the Division assisted by three Assistant Director Generals (ADGs), Dr SC Gupta, Dr Gaya Prasad and Dr. B.S Prakash in disciplines of Animal Production & Breeding, Animal Health and Animal Nutrition & Physiology respectively and supported by four Principal Scientists, Dr Rajan Gupta, Dr Vineet Bhasin, Dr (Mrs.) Neelam Gupta and Dr.(Mrs) Jyoti Misri. The Division has 2 National Research Institutes which are also Deemed Universities, 5 Central Research Institutes, 1 National Bureau, 4 Project Directorates and 6 National Research Centers. The Division coordinates 7 All India Coordinated Research Projects and 8 Network Research Programmes. In addition, 4 Outreach programmes and 3 mega seed projects (poultry, sheep and pig) are also being operated in different parts of the country at different ICAR institutes, State Agricultural / Veterinary Universities and Non-Governmental Organizations.

The Division also coordinates and monitors the Results Framework Document (RFD) Coordination Unit of DARE/ICAR. The Unit has one Principal Scientist, Dr. R.K. Tomar as the RFD Coordinator and one Scientist, Dr. VH Gupta. This Unit closely coordinates with the Subject Matter Divisions (Resource Centres) at ICAR headquarter and Resource Sub-centers (institutes) under each SMD for the preparation and timely submission of RFDs, Citizen's Charter for each financial year, Strategic Plans (2011-16),monthly, half yearly & yearly achievements etc.

Thrust Areas in Animal Science

 Molecular signatures for indigenous livestock resources

 Embryonic losses and improvement in reproductive efficiency

 Exploitation of genetic resistance through marker assisted selection for disease management

 Buffalo and goat genomics

 Stem cell research for animal health and production

 Improvement of utilization of low quality roughages through in vivo and in

vitro manipulations

 Biochemical markers to assess the micronutrient status of animals

 Nutrigenomics, Nutraceuticals, Functional foods

 Probiotics/ prebiotics for enhancing nutrient utilization

 Manipulation of green house gases emission from livestock

 Adaptation strategies climate change through shelter management

 Development of diagnostics and immuno prophylactics for various diseases using biotech and nanotech tools

 Recombinant DNA vaccines

 Monitoring and suvillance for transborder diseases

 Zoonotic diseases

 Pharmacogenomics for design of new generation and indigenous drugs.

 Transgenic chicken and pigs for pharmaceutical / nutraceutical production

 Allele mining for abiotic stress and development of molecular markers

 Residual analysis of environmental and industrial pollutants; mycotoxin and drug residues

 Development and improvement of technologies for value addition, shelf life enhancement and quality assurance of livestock and poultry products.

[Source: ICAR Website]