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National Agriculture Policy

Agriculture Research :

A well-coordinated research plan is essential for the rapid development of the crop sector. With a view to transforming crop production system into a profitable and sustainable sector, a two-dimensional agricultural research management program will be followed. On the one hand, priorities will be given to develop low-cost appropriate technologies for the small, marginal and medium farmers including women with a view to resolving their identified problems. While, on the other hand, applied research will be strengthened through advanced research methodology by providing necessary research facilities. The following steps will be taken to fulfill the expected goals of agricultural research:

• Social, economic and marketing research programs of all the national agricultural research institutes and the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) will be strengthened in order to determine the economic importance of crop production.
• The National Agricultural Research System (NARS), already established by the government, will be further strengthened and coordinated through periodic evaluation.
• The program already undertaken to transfer and popularize the technologies evolved by different agricultural research institutes through the private sector and NGOs at the field level will continue.

National agricultural research institutes will, in principle, give priorities to the following subjects in preparing their time-bound and target oriented research programs:

• soil and Agro-ecological Zone (AEZ) specific research;
• research relating to the development and application of fertilizers which are harmless for soil quality, environment and health;
• research on preservation and development of land productivity in different regions;
• region-wise research on irrigated and rain-fed cultivation;
• farm management research with a view to minimizing production cost and maximizing farmers’ income;
• research on identifying different regions of the country from the economic point of view as the most suitable and profitable for specific crops and cropping patterns;
• research on preservation of existing bio-diversity of different crops;
• research relating to IPM and development and application of pesticides from indigenous plants;
• research on improving quality and utility of various crops;
• research on meeting the increasing demand for food-based nutrition through increasing crop diversity;
• agro-economic research on the trend and impact of domestic and export demands for different crops;
• research on preservation and processing of crops and reduction of crop losses;
• research on enhanced participation of women in agricultural activities and removal of constraints;
• research relating to the development of crop varieties and technologies suitable for drought and flooded conditions;
• research on developing short duration improved varieties of seeds for different crops;
• agronomic and economic research on crop diversification;
• research on the development of improved crop varieties and technologies suitable for cultivation in coastal, hilly, water logged and salinity affected areas;
• research on developing improved varieties and technologies for the deep water rice;
• research on developing technologies for integrated rice cum fish culture; and,
• research on marketing and price trends of different crops.