CSIR Award for S&T Innovations for Rural Development- 2007 & 2008

Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh today gave away the CSIR award for S&T Innovations for Rural Development at a function in New Delhi.

CSIR Award for S&T Innovations for Rural Development for the year 2007 is conferred jointly on National Research Centre on Yak (NRC-Yak), Dirang for “Improvement of Sustainable Yak Husbandry Practices in Himalayan Region” and Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Phaltan alongwith National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune for “Use of the FecB (Booroola) gene in Deccani breed of sheep to increase lamb production and thereby the incomes of Shepherds”.

NRC-Yak has successfully standardized the protocol for super ovulation, embryo recovery and transfer in yak. This unique effort has enabled stabilization of the dwindling Yak population in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. The age for attaining puberty has also decreased, as a result yaks are now producing one calf/year instead of the earlier record of 1 calf/3 years. Further, the Centre has produced the first ever female yak calf "MISMO" through embryo transfer technology. The rural communities in Yak inhabited states are getting benefited tremendously from this research effort as they get more produce and services by rearing the yak.

NARI in collaboration with NCL has successfully introduced FecB gene in Deccani sheep to enhance lamb production. A new strain of Deccani sheep with higher productivity called ‘NARI Suwarna’ has thus been developed. The FecB gene carrier ewes produce twin lambs at every alternate lambing. This increase is high enough to bring about a substantial increase in the shepherd's income. It is thus transforming the rural shepherds economy.

It is intently hoped that this award to NRC-Yak and NARI alongwith NCL will inspire all those engaged in the profession and business of innovation in the country to find S&T inputs & solution to enable rural development and help in economic development of our rural brethren.

CSIR Award for S&T Innovations for Rural Development for the year 2008 is conferred jointly on Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI), Bhavnagar for “Innovations in the area of Salt for Rural Development” and Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow for “Biovillage strategy for Agri-business of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants”.

CSMCRI has developed various processes for the recovery of high purity salt by rural salt producers. The processes for removal of impurities through heap washing and desulphatation utilizing distiller waste liquor of soda ash plants are unique and helped in mitigating disposal problem. These processes enabled rural salt producers to produce salt of purity >99.5% and whiteness index of 87–91. Rural salt producers of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Orissa have greatly benefited from this innovation and enhanced their income by many folds.

CIMAP has strategically operationalized “Biovillage Concept” for developing and disseminating technologies aimed at sustainable production and commercialization of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) in rural areas. The institute has backed the concept by developing several new cultivars of mint, artemisia, geranium, patchouli and khus suiting to diverse agro-climates. CIMAP has also facilitated linkages between farmers and industry for necessary buy back of the produce. Further, a dependable complete package for managing distillation waste, farm waste, weed waste etc. has been integrated to generate biofertilizer, a value added product. Thus, the complete solution has helped in economic upliftment of farmers in a big way.

It is intently hoped that this award to CSMCRI and CIMAP will inspire all those engaged in the profession and business of innovation in the country to find S&T inputs & solution to enable rural development and help in economic development of our rural brethren.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : December 20, 2008