Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dr. M. L. Jat, has called for transforming agricultural higher education through global partnerships, industry–academia collaboration and international knowledge exchange to address emerging challenges in agriculture and food systems.
Addressing a roundtable virtually on the sidelines of the 2026 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, organised by the World Food Prize Foundation in Des Moines, the United States, Dr. Jat emphasised the need to prepare future agricultural professionals to tackle climate change, natural resource degradation, biodiversity loss and the growing demand for nutritious and healthy food.
Speaking in his capacity as President of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), India, Dr. Jat highlighted India’s longstanding partnerships with international institutions and said global collaboration could facilitate mutual learning and the exchange of scientific and educational advancements.
He stressed the need to move beyond production-centric agriculture towards an integrated agri-food systems and value-chain approach. He also called for stronger collaboration between academic institutions and industry to develop industry-ready professionals and encourage greater industry participation across the agri-food value chain, including initiatives supporting farmers.
Highlighting the role of NAAS in agricultural research and policymaking, Dr. Jat underscored the importance of policy dialogues, policy papers and policy briefs in addressing key challenges in agricultural research and development. He called for greater engagement among researchers, policymakers, academic institutions, industry representatives and other stakeholders to develop collaborative solutions.
Dr. Jat also emphasised the importance of connecting the Indian agricultural diaspora with domestic research and educational institutions to strengthen international knowledge exchange and bring global expertise into India’s agricultural education system.
Referring to efforts to expand international institutional cooperation, he highlighted the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). The partnership is expected to create new opportunities for collaboration in agricultural research, capacity development and knowledge sharing.
-PIB
