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Reconstituted NABMGR charts roadmap for agricultural genetic resources
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Tuesday, 04 August, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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The reconstituted National Advisory Board on Management of Genetic Resources (NABMGR) held its first meeting at the ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBPGR) in New Delhi on July 29, 2026, outlining a strategic roadmap to strengthen the conservation and sustainable use of India's agricultural genetic resources.
Originally constituted in 2011, the Board has been reconstituted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under the chairmanship of former DARE Secretary and ICAR Director General Dr R.S. Paroda, with Dr M.L. Jat, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, ICAR, serving as Co-Chairman. The Board comprises experts and representatives from key government departments, research institutions and industry bodies to guide national policies on agrobiodiversity and genetic resource management.
The inaugural meeting was attended by senior officials from the National Biodiversity Authority, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Botanical Survey of India, National Medicinal Plants Board, National Seed Association of India, Bioversity International, ICAR's Deputy Directors General, Directors of six ICAR National Bureaux, farmer representatives and other experts.
Addressing the meeting, Dr Paroda described India's diverse plant, animal, fish, microbial and insect genetic resources as strategic national assets critical for ensuring long-term food and nutritional security, climate resilience and sustainable agricultural growth. He called for greater prioritisation of conservation efforts by ICAR's National Bureaux and emphasised expanding the use of conserved germplasm, including wild relatives, in crop, livestock and fisheries improvement programmes to develop climate-resilient and high-performing varieties and breeds.
Dr Paroda also urged the implementation of the recommendations of the Delhi Declaration on Agrobiodiversity adopted during the first International Agrobiodiversity Congress in 2016. He advocated stronger international collaboration, particularly with Central Asian and South-East Asian countries, to facilitate the exchange of valuable genetic resources, including crops such as cotton, rambutan, avocado and mangosteen, as well as livestock species. He further recommended developing a legal framework for protecting breeders' and farmers' rights relating to animal and fish genetic resources, similar to the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act.
Dr M.L. Jat highlighted the need to integrate genetic resource management with advances in soil science, digital agriculture and crop improvement. He said identifying crop accessions suited to specific soil types and agro-climatic regions would help accelerate the development of location-specific and climate-resilient production systems. He added that India's National Agricultural Research, Education and Extension System (NAREES), led by ICAR, has played a pivotal role in conserving and sustainably utilising genetic resources, and expressed confidence that the reconstituted Board would strengthen inter-agency coordination and policy direction.
During the meeting, Directors of the six ICAR National Bureaux presented their achievements for 2021-2026 and outlined strategic priorities for 2026-2031 aligned with national development goals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Board recommended strengthening pre-breeding programmes to increase the use of conserved germplasm in crop improvement, identifying unexplored regions for germplasm collection over the next five years and enhancing collaboration among ICAR's National Bureaux to establish an integrated national framework for genetic resource management.
Members also proposed launching an inter-institutional programme to mainstream traditional and underutilised crop varieties, livestock breeds, fish species, microorganisms and insects. The proposal received support from Padma Shri awardee and progressive farmer Sunda Ram Verma.
The Board reviewed progress on delegating agrobiodiversity-related responsibilities from the National Biodiversity Authority to DARE and ICAR under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and discussed measures to strengthen the implementation of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) provisions. It also assessed the progress of the National Safety Genebank project, with Dr Paroda recommending its completion in time for ICAR's centenary celebrations in 2028-29.
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of NABMGR's commitment to strengthening India's agrobiodiversity governance through scientific collaboration, institutional convergence and evidence-based policymaking, with the recommendations expected to enhance agricultural resilience, food security and sustainable development in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat.
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