Research and Corporate Profile Transforming Dryland
Welcome to interactive presentation, created with Publuu. Enjoy the reading!
The Enabling Systems Transformation Program strives to create a more supportive environment for the adoption
of context-specific sustainable and resilient agricultural practices that can withstand future challenges. Focus areas
include advocating for good public policy, instituting organizational reforms, advancing agri-entrepreneurial initiatives,
implementing technological advancements alongside nutrition-sensitive innovations, promoting gender equality, enhancing
social inclusion, engaging communities and bolstering the capabilities of essential stakeholders.
Centers of Excellence
Center of Excellence on Climate Change Research
for Plant Protection
The Center works to understand the effects of climate change
variables on the occurrence and distribution of diseases and
insect pests with special focus on legumes (chickpea and
pigeonpea). The facility is equipped with open-top chambers
and Free Air CO2 enrichment to study host x pathogen/pest
x environment interactions and the resistance to pests and
pathogens in resistant and susceptible cultivars.
Centre of Excellence for Tribal Development
In June 2018, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of
India, designated ICRISAT as the Centre of Excellence for
Tribal Development. This center aims to drive positive socio-
economic transformations, empowering tribal farmers to boost
agricultural productivity and elevate their nutritional standards.
Its core objectives are promoting crop diversification to enrich
dietary variety and nutrition, providing training and capacity-
building programs to enhance farming productivity among tribal
communities, and facilitating the establishment of small and
medium-sized enterprise and processing units to add value to
tribal produce and create supplementary income avenues.
Center of Excellence in Genomics
and Systems Biology
The Center of Excellence in Genomics and
Systems Biology is equipped with an Illumina
HiSeq 2500 - the world’s most powerful
sequencer, as well as SSR, DArT and SNP
genotyping platforms to provide (a) applied
genomics research and sequencing, (b) high
quality marker genotyping services and (c)
molecular breeding services.
The center is also equipped with a
computational genome analysis facility to
analyze, store and share huge sequence
data. The facility has supported ICRISAT-
led global gene sequencing programs for
chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut. The
genotyping services, including MiSeq-based
next generation sequencing, are provided
on a cost recovery basis to all partners and
clients from national agricultural research
systems, the private sector and the research
community worldwide.
Knowledge and Capacity Development
The Knowledge and Capacity Development Cluster is
instrumental in advancing ICRISAT’s mission through
the enhancement of various stakeholders’ skills within
agricultural value chains and food systems via the Dryland
Academy. Dedicated to addressing the distinct challenges
faced by semi-arid areas, the Academy provides an
innovative platform that merges thorough scientific research
with practical applications through its learning modules.
Nutrition, Dietary Behavior, and Smart Food
The Nutrition, Dietary Behavior, and Smart Food Cluster aims
to enhance nutritional outcomes by promoting healthy dietary
behaviors, and advancing the production and utilization of
‘Smart Food’ – food that is good for the farmer, good for
the planet, and good for the consumer. With a focus on the
dryland tropics, the cluster aims to address malnutrition,
enhance food security, and improve the overall well-being of
communities.
Technology Adoption and Impact Analysis
The Technology Adoption and Impact Analysis Cluster
conducts rigorous research to address the increasing demand
for evidence on the R&D outcomes of ICRISAT’s research and
investments in the drylands of Asia and Africa. The cluster
develops analytical protocols, tools, and methods to provide
rigorous evidence to support decision-making for impact
analysis, anchoring, and scaling at various integration levels.
It evaluates the contributions of ICRISAT’s technological
and social innovations, critical development outcomes and
measures the cost-effectiveness and rates of return on public
investments in agricultural research and development.
Markets, Institutions, and Policies
The Markets, Institutions, and Policies Cluster conducts
theory-informed and action-oriented research to
promote nutrition-sensitive, inclusive, and resilient farm
and food systems in the drylands. The cluster generates
evidence-based strategies that support market-led
innovations, reshape markets and value chains, and
facilitate agri-business innovations to ensure the supply
of healthy food from producers to consumers while
creating more job opportunities along value chains.
Gender and Youth
The Gender and Youth Cluster acknowledges the
vital contribution of women and youth to agricultural
advancement, especially in the semi-arid regions of
Africa, Asia and beyond. This cluster fosters inclusive
frameworks that actively involve women and youth in
agricultural progress within the dryland tropics. Through
the implementation of transformative strategies and the
pursuit of research for development, the cluster seeks
to amplify the influence and participation of women and
youth within agrifood systems and value chains.
Agribusiness and Innovation Platform
The Agribusiness and Innovation Platform is specifically
designed to cater to the needs of the agriculture
and agribusiness sector. This cluster provides a
wide array of support services such as guidance on
business development, market research and analysis,
opportunities for funding, mentorship programs,
networking events, and targeted training workshops.
These resources are aimed at helping entrepreneurs
transform their innovative ideas into thriving and
scalable enterprises.
16 | Research and Corporate Profile 2024
Research and Corporate Profile 2024 | 17
Enabling Systems Transformation
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40