UGC Report on Inter University Center on Rural - Ministry of Rural ...

characterized by low agricultural productivity, high natural resource
degradation, limited access to infrastructure and markets, and other socio
– economic constraints. In the interests both of improving household food
security and lessening socio-economic inequity, and also of raising
national agricultural production, research and technology development
must give greater attention to soil health, water conservation, livestock for
livelihood security, horticulture and agro forestry in the rain-fed areas,
while maintaining and further increasing the gains made in irrigated
areas.”
5.3 Need for knowledge related interaction among the sub-sectors of the economy
Section 5.2 makes it clear that technologies appropriate for each agro-climatic zone
should be utilized. The question is who holds such technologies/knowledge ? Obviously one
has to first look into the institutions that are in the region or institutions that address the
problems of the region. To get an idea of the range of institutions the following quote from
the National Commission on Farmers will be useful.
“Establishment of sustained one-to-one linkages between R&D/ Academic
institutions and the farming hubs, contract framing. SFEs and agroindustries
located in a particular region; and setting up of accurate, uptodate,
reliable, realistic and user-friendly database on indigenous
technological expertise/infrastructure, S&T personnel, R&D programmes,
technological breakthroughs and innovations etc. For upstream
agriculture-related industries, encouraging the mobility of S&T personnel
between industry and R&D / academic institutions should be promoted.
Academic institutions and R&D laboratories also need to organize
appropriate training programmes for private sector personnel in order to
cater to their specific requirements. Policy, procedures and systems
should be reformed to encourage the academic faculty to accept contract /
collaborative research for industry”.
“Interaction with the farmers and industry should not end with technology
transfer but the agency providing the technology must constantly interact
with the users’ problem solving, technology absorption, and improvement/
upgradation of the technology. The Institute- Village linkage programme
of lCAR needs to be revitalized and restructured. Government and
industry associations should work together for the, establishment of
independent test facilities for reliable quality-checks, calibration and also
for technology validation. Establishment of Industry S&T Interface
Institutions (ISTI), with technology management centres manned by
qualified personnel, could also be considered, besides the establishment
of S&T entrepreneurship parks, Technology Business Incubators,
upgrading R&D infrastructure of the industry through consortia of
industry associations. Incentive/ support measures would also need to be
introduced for promoting the purchase of products developed through
indigenous technologies. This approach should particularly be promoted
in the areas of organic farming, pharma farming, biofertilizers and
biopesticides etc”.
17