Call for Global Expertise to Transform ICAR Leadership

Venugopal Badaravada from ICAR calls for a global expert to lead the organization, addressing issues like corruption and nepotism. With DG Himanshu Pathak retiring soon, Badaravada emphasizes reforms focused on diverse crops for food security, criticizing past focus on genetically modified seeds.

An urgent call for leadership reform has been issued within India's top agricultural research body, ICAR, as Director General Himanshu Pathak nears retirement. Venugopal Badaravada, a governing member of ICAR, has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to appoint a successor with global expertise.

Badaravada highlighted this leadership transition as a pivotal moment to address ongoing allegations of corruption, nepotism, and recruitment issues within the organization. In his statement, he stressed the need for leadership from outside the organization to foster systemic reform and enhance organizational transparency.

Criticizing the organization's focus since 2014, Badaravada pointed out ICAR's disproportionate emphasis on rice cultivation over other vital crops essential for India's food security. He argued that neglecting pulses, oilseeds, and indigenous varieties had hindered efforts to develop climate-resilient crops, advocating for a strategic shift to preserve India's agricultural diversity.

(With inputs from agencies.)