ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, celebrated its Golden Jubilee and Farmer’s Expo 2025 on 9th January 2025. The event was inaugurated by Shri C.H. Vijayashankar, Hon'ble Governor of Meghalaya in the presence of Shri Conrad K Sangma, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya; Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Hon'ble Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India; Dr. M. Amapareen Lyngdoh, Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of Meghalaya; Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Director General, ICAR & Secretary, DARE, Government of India; Shri. D.P. Wahlang, Chief Secretary, Government of Meghalaya; Dr. Suresh Kumar Chaudhari, Deputy Director General (Natural Resource Management), ICAR, New Delhi, Dr. V.K. Mishra, Director, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya, and other dignitaries.
        In his welcome speech, Dr. Himanshu C narrated the region's rich agro-biodiversity and organic farming. Considering the region's fragile ecosystem, he emphasised on the need to develop climate-resilient agriculture, and agriculture should be nature-, market-, culture-, and technology-friendly. Dr. Pathak while highlighting the tremendous achievement of the Institute in the past five decades added that there are challenges that needs to be focused with more enthusiasm and dedication in the next 50 years. He urged upon the need to work to be a part of the Vikshit Bharat 2047.
        Shri Conrad K. Sangma while congratulating the ICAR fraternity on this glorious jubilee added that, ICAR has been a torchbearer for innovation, addressing numerous issues and efforts to enhance food security and empower farmers with global edge technology. Shri. Sangma applauded the outstanding contribution of ICAR through technology like high yielding varieties, organic farming, and agri-entrepreneurship among the youth. He emphasizes the potential of the region to become a hub of different crops, particularly horticulture, honey, bamboo, and organic farming etc. Shri. Sangma stressed that research of ICAR has benefitted the region, but, there is a need to relook into a large-scale transfer of technology, better coordination, a logistic hub, enhanced shelf life of horticultural products, food processing, a cluster development program, a bamboo mission, and strengthening of the grassroots level such as KVKs.
        Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasized that Meghalaya biodiversity is a wealth to the region and added a roadmap to be worked out tirelessly. There is a necessity for better coordination among ICAR institutes, agricultural universities, KVKs, and state departments. The region has different agroclimatic zones, which require a combined effort of several departments, particularly for the development of a logistic hub, processing, value addition, and pricing of the products. He also emphasizes the reduction of time for the transfer of technology from the lab to land.
        Chief Guest, Shri C.H. Vijayashankar, Hon'ble Governor of Meghalaya in his inaugural speech emphasized that India is an agrarian country where agriculture lies in the heart of the people and economy. He emphasized that ICAR is at the forefront of research and development in the country for agriculture adding that the institute has contributed significantly to the development of crop varieties, livestock breeds, and IFS, which have proven to be beneficial to the farming community. The region is rich in specialty crops such as ginger and turmeric and is a hub of medicinal plants, Ayurveda, and other agricultural products.
        The Hon'ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, addressed the celebration through a recorded speech. She congratulated the Institute for 50 years of unparalleled service and dedication and commented that ICAR has developed hundreds of varieties of crops, livestock, and climate-resilient technologies suited to the agroclimatic conditions of the region that help to enhance food security and livelihood security of the region. The production of food grain and horticultural crops has increased by 30% and 40%, respectively, over a decade. Agri-based enterprises and allied sectors have been instrumental in generating livelihoods and attracting youth to agriculture in the region. This has led to an increase of 25% in Agri-entrepreneurs among youth in the last 5 years. There is a need for documentation and validation of indigenous resources, germplasm conservation, and pairing local knowledge with modern technologies.
        The event was livestreamed and around covering 20,000 farmers witnessed through 90 KVKs in the Region along with 6 Regional Centres of the Institute.
        A vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Suresh Kumar Chaudhari, Deputy Director General (Natural Resource Management), ICAR, New Delhi.