THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 12, 2026

Calling for a stronger convergence of traditional farming wisdom and modern scientific research, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr P K Mishra on Thursday said farmers must be recognised not merely as custodians of India's agricultural biodiversity but also as innovators, entrepreneurs and key beneficiaries of the country's agricultural transformation.

Addressing the 22nd Foundation Day of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPVFRA) and the Plant Genome Saviour Award Ceremony here, Mishra stressed the need to connect farmers' traditional knowledge with scientific research, quality seed systems and emerging market opportunities. The occasion also marked 25 years of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001, which provides a distinctive framework for balancing plant breeders' rights with the interests of farmers.

Underscoring the economic and strategic importance of agricultural biodiversity, Mishra said India's rich genetic resources could play a crucial role in developing climate-resilient crops capable of withstanding water stress, pests and diseases. Their preservation, he said, was equally important for safeguarding traditional knowledge, food cultures and community livelihoods.

Highlighting India's 22 agro-biodiversity hotspots, he cited Koraput in Odisha, recognised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 2012 as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System, as a compelling example of community-led conservation and sustainable agricultural practices.

Mishra pointed out that nearly half of the plant varieties registered under the PPVFRA were farmers' varieties, reflecting the significant contribution of farming communities to India's agricultural innovation ecosystem. He emphasised that benefit-sharing provisions and the National Gene Fund were important instruments for ensuring that communities conserving valuable genetic resources received fair economic returns.

Referring to India's growing scientific capabilities, he said the National Genebank at the ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources was the second largest in the world, while around 3,000 climate-resilient crop varieties had been developed under the National Agricultural Research System. He also underlined the potential of Geographical Indications (GIs) in enhancing the commercial value of distinctive agricultural products and creating new income opportunities for farming communities.

Highlighting India's growing international leadership on farmers' rights, Mishra referred to the country's engagement with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the 2022 Governing Body session held in New Delhi and the 2023 Global Symposium on Farmers' Rights. He also highlighted the Indore Declaration adopted by BRICS Agriculture Ministers and the establishment of a Global Forum on Farmers' Rights in Seed Systems as important milestones in advancing the global agenda.

Emphasising that the next phase of agricultural development must move beyond recognition towards tangible economic empowerment, Mishra called for strengthening community seed banks and field gene banks and integrating farmers' traditional knowledge with contemporary scientific research. He stressed the need to connect farmers' varieties with quality seed production systems, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and wider commercial markets.

He also called for promoting farmer-led entrepreneurship and putting in place fair, transparent and effective benefit-sharing mechanisms to ensure that biodiversity conservation generated sustained economic opportunities for farming communities.

Making a strong case for converting recognition into recurring economic gains, Mishra observed, "An award honours a farmer once; a seed chain, a market and a fair share of benefits sustain the farmer every season."

He said farmers should be viewed not simply as participants in India's agricultural transformation but as active contributors and beneficiaries of the process. Safeguarding agricultural diversity, he added, was a collective responsibility involving farmers, scientists, universities, industry, the government and society at large.

Mishra congratulated the PPVFRA and the award recipients, expressing confidence that stronger collaboration among farming communities, research institutions and market stakeholders would help transform India's agricultural heritage into a sustainable source of innovation, resilience and rural prosperity.