Last Updated on July 17, 2026 12:26 am by BIZNAMA NEWS
AMN
Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that India has recorded a production of 376 million tonnes of food grains and 377 million tonnes of horticultural produce this year despite challenges like climate change. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Mr Chouhan said that the scientists are now going directly to the fields to work alongside the farmers. He highlighted that under Khet Bachao Abhiyan, one thousand 657 scientific teams reached out to 728 districts, specifically those likely to be affected by El Niño and engaged with around one crore farmers.
The minister said that government will launch the 100 Young Scientists Gram Challenge under the Mission ICAR-100. Mr Chouhan said, during this challenge the young scientists will compete at the national level to innovate in future-oriented fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, precision agriculture, and climate-smart agriculture. He added that the Ministry will also develop 100 climate-smart villages that will serve as ideal models for climate-resilient, sustainable, and modern agriculture. The Minister informed that Indian Council of Agricultural Research has developed 386 improved varieties across 44 crops during the past year, of which 94 per cent are climate-resilient and 29 are biofortified.