The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Ltd. (BBSSL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening and streamlining India’s seed system through cooperation in seed production, research, technology dissemination and capacity building.
The MoU was signed and exchanged during the fifth Foundation Day celebrations of the Ministry of Cooperation. Dr. M.L. Jat, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of ICAR, exchanged the agreement with Chetan Joshi, Managing Director of BBSSL.
The event was attended by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah; Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh; Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma; Minister of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal Gurjar; and Minister of State for Cooperation and Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol.
The collaboration seeks to link ICAR’s agricultural research and technological capabilities with BBSSL’s nationwide cooperative network to improve farmers’ access to quality seeds and planting materials.
The partnership will facilitate access to improved crop varieties, hybrids, quality seeds and planting materials through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), cooperatives, seed growers and other farmer collectives.
The two organizations will also undertake collaborative research and validation of ICAR-developed varieties, hybrids, seed technologies and region-specific production systems. The MoU provides for seed production and multiplication programs aimed at strengthening linkages between breeder, foundation and certified seed systems to ensure the timely availability of quality seeds.
Another major area of cooperation will be the conservation and promotion of traditional and indigenous crop varieties. The initiative will support the identification, characterization, purification, conservation and multiplication of such varieties through cooperative systems.
The collaboration will also support clean planting material initiatives for crops such as potato, banana, sugarcane and turmeric, as well as other relevant crops. The two organizations will work toward developing climate-resilient and location-specific seed systems suited to the country’s diverse agro-climatic regions.
Participatory trials, multilocation testing, frontline demonstrations and farmer field demonstrations will be conducted through ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and BBSSL’s cooperative network.
In addition, ICAR and BBSSL will explore opportunities in domestic and export markets for quality seeds and planting materials produced through cooperative systems.
A Structured National Platform
The MoU seeks to create a structured national platform to take ICAR’s improved crop varieties, agricultural research and seed technologies to farmers at scale through BBSSL’s cooperative network. The initiative is expected to strengthen seed security, promote climate-resilient agriculture, improve last-mile delivery of agricultural technologies and expand farmers’ access to quality seeds.
Implementation
The MoU serves as a broad framework for collaboration. Specific projects, seed multiplication programs, technology transfers, licensing arrangements, funding, commercialization, intellectual property rights and revenue-sharing mechanisms will be taken up only through separately approved work plans and agreements.
The partnership will also leverage digital systems to enhance seed traceability, expand farmer outreach, facilitate knowledge dissemination and strengthen the overall seed ecosystem.