New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday urged scientists to fix research priorities based on primary challenges that farmers are facing.

Inaugurating the three-day 6th International Agronomy Congress (IAC–2025) here on Monday, the minister said, “Agronomy is the bridge that connects scientific research with the farmer’s field, and agriculture must move toward producing more with fewer resources while conserving more for future generations.

More than 1,000 scientists, policymakers, students, development partners, and industry experts from India and abroad are participating in the Congress. Scientists from several international organizations- including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, and the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)- are also attending the event.

The minister emphasised optimising soil health, water-use efficiency, biodiversity, eco-nutrition, and AI-based digital agricultural solutions. He also announced that the recommendations emerging from the Congress will be incorporated into national policies and regional action plans.

Chouhan released the IAC–2025 declaration, featuring key recommendations such as promotion of soil-carbon sequestration, water-efficient farming, scaling up AI-based digital agriculture solutions and the Agri-Stack framework.

Mainstreaming natural and regenerative agriculture models, targeted innovation programmes for youth and women farmers, and next-generation agronomy education at school and university levels also formed part of the recommendations.

Besides, One-Health, LiFE Mission, Net-Zero 2070 aligned agricultural strategies and global outreach of Indian climate-smart agricultural models were mentioned.

Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary said, “Agronomy must become the solution to the real problems of farmers.” He emphasised that the ultimate goal of agronomy is to enhance farmer income, environmental security, and nutritional quality.

He stated that innovations must reach every field, whether in the dry lands of Rajasthan or the hill regions of Uttarakhand.

He stressed the importance of rainfed agriculture, natural resource management, women’s participation, youth-led innovations, and strengthening rural micro-enterprises.

Ten thematic symposia during the Congress will include scientific presentations on climate-resilient agriculture and carbon-neutral farming, nature-based solutions, precision input management and resource efficiency. Harnessing genetic potential, energy-efficient machinery, digital solutions, and post-harvest management will also be taken up.

Besides, discussions will be held on nutrition-sensitive agriculture, gender empowerment, agriculture 5.0 and next-gen education. A young scientists’ and students’ conference will also be held.

This three-day global event (24–26 November 2025) is being organised by the Indian Society of Agronomy (ISA) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences.

–IANS

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