ICAR- CRIDA is working in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra extensively and directly in three different ways with an overall aim to conduct essential and strategic research on dryland agriculture (through All India Coordinated Research Project on Dry Land Agriculture (AICRPDA) and All India Coordinated Research Project on Agro-Meteorology (AICRPAM) centres and utilize its results in the Marathwada Region to assist struggling farmers through National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture - Technology demonstration component (NICRA-TDC):
(1). AICRPDA Parbhani centre located in Marathwada region is working for evaluation and establishment of region-specific crops and cropping systems; rainwater management; nutrient management; energy management; alternate land use management and Rainfed Integrated Farming Systems (RIFS).
(2). AICRPAM Parbhani centre located in Marathwada region is working in the area of resource characterization; establishing crop-weather-insect-pest relationship of major crops in Marathwada region, and dissemination of region based agro-met advisories.
(3). Jalna, Latur and Osmanabad centres of NICRA-TDC through the KVKs situated in the Marathwada region are upscaling the climate resilient technologies in the region under four modules, i.e., natural resource management, crops and cropping system, livestock, village level institutions, capacity building etc. The major technologies which are being upscaled in the region are short duration and drought escaping soybean variety (MAUS-158); short duration pigeonpea variety (BDN-711) for the frequently drought prone regions; stress tolerant variety of safflower (PBNS-12) for receding moisture conditions; stress tolerant rabi sorghum variety (Parbhani Moti); Intercropping systems for stabilizing production and to minimize risk in drought prone-regions for risk minimization in frequently drought prone regions of Maharashtra to assist struggling farmers.
The proposal to establish a mission office in Marathwada region of Maharashtra is not under consideration.
ICAR-IGFRI has developed Fodder Resource Development Plan for Maharashtra including Marathwada Region focused on aiding farmers in distress. This Plan helped in reducing the gap of 31.3% shortage of dry fodder and 59.4% shortage of green fodder in Maharashtra. To further add the forage availability, a policy was developed for Indian Rangeland and Grassland Conservation, Restoration and Sustenance, which helped in rejuvenating the grasslands of Maharashtra.
Further, Two Centres of All India Coordinated Research Project on Forage Crops and Utilization (AICRP-FC&U) supported from ICAR are already working at Pune and Rahuri, to generate and disseminate the technologies for whole of the Maharashtra including Marathwada region on fodder Crops in Rabi and Kharif season on Farmers’ Field.
During the last five years, more than 50 varieties in different fodder crops have been developed and recommended by AICRP-FC&U and ICAR-IGFRI for the cultivation in the different parts of Maharashtra.
