International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
Empowers dryland communities through agricultural innovation, enhancing food security, nutrition, and resilience in vulnerable regions.
About
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Headquarters
Patancheru, Telangana
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Since
1972
International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics focuses on empowering dryland communities by introducing agricultural innovations that Read more improve food security, nutrition, and resilience in vulnerable regions. By implementing sustainable farming techniques, the program addresses the unique challenges of arid environments, such as water scarcity and soil degradation. It promotes climate-smart practices, ensuring that these communities can adapt to changing environmental conditions while increasing crop yields and food availability. Additionally, the initiative fosters capacity-building, providing training and resources to farmers, ultimately enhancing their livelihoods and ensuring long-term sustainability for both the people and ecosystems in these fragile regions.
Action
ICRISAT conducts agricultural research for development focused on dryland crops like chickpea, pigeonpea, groundnut, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet to develop climate-resilient varieties and sustainable farming practices.
Demographies Served
Cause Area
Sector
Impact
ICRISAT's work has helped over 25 million smallholder farmers in 13 countries improve crop yields, incomes and food security through the development of 266 improved legume varieties and distribution of nearly half a million tons of seed.
Vision & Mission
ICRISAT's vision is a prosperous, food-secure and resilient dryland tropics. Its mission is to reduce poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation in the dryland tropics.
Programs
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Accelerated Crop Improvement
The Accelerated Crop Improvement Program at ICRISAT focuses on developing drought-resistant crop varieties for Africa, Asia, and beyond. By employing advanced technologies like genomics-assisted selection, gene editing, and speed breeding, the program accelerates the development of crops with higher yields, improved nutritional quality, and enhanced resilience to climate change. It also works on establishing sustainable seed systems in India and Africa to ensure farmers have access to improved seeds. The program emphasizes a landscape-level, crop-systems approach, integrating intercropping, multicropping, and regenerative agriculture to support sustainable livelihoods and improved nutrition.
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Resilient Farm and Food Systems
The Resilient Farm and Food Systems Research Program focuses on sustainable agricultural practices and innovative livelihood strategies. It aims to enhance land and water management through regenerative, low-carbon landscapes, while improving soil health for climate adaptation and mitigation. The program emphasizes resilient farming systems, integrating crops, livestock, and agroforestry for diversification, risk management, and income generation. It leverages climate information services, ICT, and digital innovations to support farmers in decision-making and mechanize agricultural value chains. By using geospatial and big data science, the program builds resilient dryland systems and provides early warnings for extreme weather, pests, and diseases.
Milestones & Track Record
Key milestones include mapping the genome code for cultivated groundnut, releasing the first commercial pigeonpea hybrid in India, and developing Africa's first biofortified pearl millet variety.
Leadership Team
Demographics & Structure
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No. of Employees
51-100
M&E
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Internal, External Assessors
No
Policies
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Ethics and Transparency Policies
No
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Formal CEO Oversight & Compensation Policy
No
Political & Religious Declarations
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On Affiliation if any
No
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On Deployment Bias if any
No
Registration Details
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Registration ID
UI/222(66)/71
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FCRA
Not Available
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CSR Registration Number
Not Available
Location
Other Details
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Type & Sub Type
Non-profit
Trust