Noted agronomist Dr Mangi Lal Jat has been appointed as the next Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
The appointment of Dr Mangi Lal Jat was approved by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a meeting in New Delhi.,
Dr Mangi Lal Jat will take the place of Dr Himanshu Jain, who was earlier appointed as the Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)..
Dr Mangi Lal Jat will also be the Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE).
The government has appointed Mangi Lal Jat for a period of three years, commencing from the date he assumes office.
Mangi Lal Jat was born in Pachkodiya, Rajasthan, on May 4, 1971.
Mango Lal Jat completed his Phd at the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, with a specialisation in soil moisture conservation for rainfed pearl millet.
He specialises in regenerative agriculture, conservation agriculture, farming systems, precision farming and climate-smart agriculture.
With 25 years of experience in system science, Dr Mangi Lal Jat is considered one of the foremost experts in system science in developing countries.
He has worked in both national and international research institutions.
For 12 years, he was the principal scientist and systems agronomist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre.
He also worked at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) was set up as the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research by the British on 16 July 1929.
It was established on the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Agriculture, set up by the British Indian government in 1928 under the Chairmanship of Lord Linlithgow.
Ministry
The ICAR comes under the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare.
Functions of ICAR
ICAR is the apex body for conducting research in agriculture, including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences.
ICAR also regulates the agricultural universities in India.
ICAR has over 113 research institutes spread all over the country.
The ICAR has played a pivotal role in making India self-sufficient in foodgrains by spearheading the Green Revolution.
Headquarters: New Delhi