PM Modi releases 109 climate-resilient seed varieties to boost farm yield, nutrition

The field crop varieties include cereals, millets, forage crops, oilseeds, pulses, sugarcane, cotton, and fibre crops.

New Delhi: Aimed at enhancing farm productivity and farmers' income, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday released 109 high-yielding, climate-resilient and biofortified seed varieties of agricultural and horticultural crops here.

The PM also unveiled the seeds at three experimental agriculture plots at Delhi's Pusa Campus, where he also interacted with farmers and scientists.

Developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), these varieties span 61 crops, including 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops, a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture said.

Appreciating the scientists for the development of these new crop varieties, Modi suggested that the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) proactively inform farmers about the benefits of the new varieties being developed every month to create awareness about their benefits.

The Prime Minister discussed the importance of millets and underlined how people are moving towards nutritious food. He also talked about the benefits of natural farming and the increasing faith of common people towards organic farming. Modi noted that people have started consuming and demanding organic foods.

The scientists informed that they have been working in line with the suggestion given by the Prime Minister to bring unutilised crops into the mainstream, the statement said.

The PM has been emphasizing on the promotion of biofortified crop varieties, linking them to government initiatives like the Mid-Day Meal scheme and Anganwadi services to combat malnutrition in India.

Later addressing reporters, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that this was a historic day for farmers as 109 varieties of 61 crops which have been released will help increase farmers' income, enhance production and reduce costs.

Chouhan said that the seeds of these crops are climate-friendly and can yield good crops even in adverse weather. The Minister also said that these varieties are rich in nutrition.