KOCHI: Detecting research duplication in India is a major challenge for agencies funding agri-related projects. Many project proposals can be combined with other ongoing projects.
Institutions should take a call on that before forwarding projects for clearance, says S M Viramani, chairman, national expert committee for sponsored and competitive grants, Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR). Dr Viramani was in Kochi to attend the two-day high-level meeting of ICAR scientists to discuss the status of various projects under National Innovation on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA).
He says that only one in 10 climate-related agricultural research projects are sanctioned. "However, most of the projects would ideally fall in the category of 'updates' of existing research and not 'innovations' which is what NICRA stands for. "I have been suggesting to all agencies that projects should be vetted by specialist institutions and cleared before it comes before us. This would help in checking duplication."
Virmani, who was associated with International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) for almost 40 years, says that agriculture research needs to come up with deliverables. "We need products and that too which can be climate resilient. Climate change is a reality."
Commenting on fears by scientists in ICAR institutions on likely stoppage of funding once NICRA gets over next year, he says, "There's no logic in the fears that funding might stop when the NICRA project gets over next year."
Funds will keep coming as all nations are giving it top priority. "The world is beginning to feel the impact of extreme events which is having a bearing on the food systems and health of man, animal and crop," he says.
There are over 200 scientists and associates working in the nearly Rs 600-crore NICRA project which was begun to find solutions to adapt and mitigate in climate-related issues.
"Food is going to be the biggest challenge in the climate change era."
Speaking of his experience as FAO official to China, he says the Chinese expect fisheries to meet 50% of the protein requirement in their country.
"Even Japan is investing in the Chinese marine industry. The entire planning is such that the fish will be caught in China in the morning and will reach Japan by evening. The Chinese have developed the cage culture industry and all the species that Japan wants will now come from China."
Institutions should take a call on that before forwarding projects for clearance, says S M Viramani, chairman, national expert committee for sponsored and competitive grants, Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR). Dr Viramani was in Kochi to attend the two-day high-level meeting of ICAR scientists to discuss the status of various projects under National Innovation on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA).
He says that only one in 10 climate-related agricultural research projects are sanctioned. "However, most of the projects would ideally fall in the category of 'updates' of existing research and not 'innovations' which is what NICRA stands for. "I have been suggesting to all agencies that projects should be vetted by specialist institutions and cleared before it comes before us. This would help in checking duplication."
Virmani, who was associated with International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) for almost 40 years, says that agriculture research needs to come up with deliverables. "We need products and that too which can be climate resilient. Climate change is a reality."
Commenting on fears by scientists in ICAR institutions on likely stoppage of funding once NICRA gets over next year, he says, "There's no logic in the fears that funding might stop when the NICRA project gets over next year."
Funds will keep coming as all nations are giving it top priority. "The world is beginning to feel the impact of extreme events which is having a bearing on the food systems and health of man, animal and crop," he says.
There are over 200 scientists and associates working in the nearly Rs 600-crore NICRA project which was begun to find solutions to adapt and mitigate in climate-related issues.
"Food is going to be the biggest challenge in the climate change era."
Speaking of his experience as FAO official to China, he says the Chinese expect fisheries to meet 50% of the protein requirement in their country.
"Even Japan is investing in the Chinese marine industry. The entire planning is such that the fish will be caught in China in the morning and will reach Japan by evening. The Chinese have developed the cage culture industry and all the species that Japan wants will now come from China."
Source : Times of India
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