{"id":11838,"date":"2025-11-13T12:47:43","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T07:17:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/?p=11838"},"modified":"2025-11-13T12:47:54","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T07:17:54","slug":"union-agriculture-minister-shri-shivraj-singh-chouhan-presents-plant-genome-saviour-awards-to-farmers-in-new-delhi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/?p=11838","title":{"rendered":"Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan presents \u2018Plant Genome Saviour Awards\u2019 to farmers in New Delhi"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan presents \u2018Plant Genome Saviour Awards\u2019 to farmers in New Delhi<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n


\nSilver Jubilee of PPV&FRA Act and 21st Foundation Day of the authority celebrated<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

PPV&FRA Act has played a vital role in conserving disappearing seed varieties: Shri Chouhan<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Farmers must be made more aware of the PPV&FRA Act: Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

New varieties are important, but traditional seeds must also be preserved: Union Agriculture Minister<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Amendments to PPV&FRA Act will be considered to incorporate new suggestions: Shri Chouhan<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Posted On: 12 NOV 2025 6:22PM by PIB Delhi<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers\u2019 Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan today participated in the \u2018Plant Genome Saviour Awards Ceremony\u2019, celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers\u2019 Rights (PPV&FRA) Act, 2001 and the 21st Foundation Day of the PPV&FRA, held at C. Subramaniam Hall, Pusa Campus, New Delhi. On this occasion, the Union Minister felicitated select farmer awardees from across the country for their outstanding contributions to seed conservation and biodiversity.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Among the awardees were the Community Seed Bank of Telangana, Shiksha Niketan of Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal, Mithilanchal Makhana Producers\u2019 Association, CRS-Na Dihing Tenga Unyan Committee of Assam, Shri Bhupendra Joshi of Uttarakhand, Shri T. Joseph of Kerala, Shri Lakshan Pramanik, Shri Ananthamurthy J, Shri Nakul Singh of Bihar, and Shri Narendra Singh of Uttarakhand, among others from various categories.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In his address, Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan commended the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers\u2019 Rights Authority (PPV&FRA) for its \u201cremarkable achievements\u201d over the past two decades. He said that Indian agricultural practices are among the oldest in the world, forming the very foundation of the nation\u2019s civilisation. \u201cMany indigenous crop varieties are vital for nutrition and ecological balance,\u201d he said, noting that several traditional varieties were on the verge of extinction, and it was through the dedication of farmers that these seeds have been preserved.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Union Minister emphasised that under the PPV&FRA Act, the government provides financial incentives of up to \u20b915 lakh to promote the conservation of seed varieties. \u201cSeed is the biggest capital of a farmer. It is our fundamental right. While promoting new and high-yielding varieties is essential, preserving traditional seeds is equally important. There must be a balance between the two,\u201d he stated.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Highlighting the need for reforms, Shri Chouhan said that new suggestions received from various stakeholders will be considered and incorporated into future amendments of the PPV&FRA Act, wherever necessary.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

He expressed concern that awareness of the PPV&FRA Act among farmers remains limited. \u201cEven today, many farmers are unaware of the Act\u2019s benefits. There are procedural complexities in registration that must be simplified. We also need to enhance transparency and ensure that the real benefits reach the grassroots,\u201d he said.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Union Minister stressed the need to strengthen coordination between the PPV&FRA and other related legislations, and called for the creation of a robust scientific database to preserve knowledge of indigenous varieties. \u201cThe farmers who conserve our seeds and biodiversity are the true custodians of our agricultural heritage. They must be recognized, empowered, and supported,\u201d he added.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers\u2019 Welfare, Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, highlighted the natural and organic methods adopted by farmers to conserve plant and seed varieties, emphasising that the PPV&FRA has provided a strong institutional framework to advance such efforts. \u201cThrough this authority, conservation work is progressing rapidly, and this empowered system will continue to play a greater role in seed and plant protection while adding new chapters in farmers\u2019 welfare,\u201d he said.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Minister of State for Agriculture, Shri Ramnath Thakur, underlined the importance of conserving seeds of traditional crops such as \u2018mandua\u2019 (finger millet). He urged the Authority to undertake more proactive measures in this regard and also drew attention to the medicinal value of several indigenous crop species, calling for their preservation and research-based promotion.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The event was attended by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers\u2019 Welfare Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, Minister of State for Agriculture Shri Ramnath Thakur, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers\u2019 Welfare, Shri Devesh Chaturvedi, Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, Joint Secretary (Agriculture), Shri Ajit Kumar Sahu, Chairperson, PPV&FRA, Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, and Registrar-General, PPV&FRA, Dr. D.K. Agarwal, along with senior officers and participating farmers from across India.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Background:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers\u2019 Rights Authority (PPV&FRA) is a statutory body established under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers\u2019 Rights Act, 2001, under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers\u2019 Welfare, Government of India. The Authority is headquartered in New Delhi.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The primary objectives of the PPV&FRA are to:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf Grant intellectual property rights to plant breeders for their innovations in developing new plant varieties<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf Recognise and reward farmers and communities who conserve traditional varieties and biodiversity<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf Promote the protection of farmers\u2019 rights to save, use, sow, resow, exchange, share, and sell farm-saved seed of registered varieties<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf Encourage research and innovation in plant breeding and agriculture<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf Maintain the National Register of Plant Varieties (NRPV) and ensure the documentation and conservation of valuable germplasm resources<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Authority also plays a pivotal role in safeguarding farmers\u2019 traditional knowledge and ensuring equitable benefit sharing arising from the use of indigenous varieties. By bridging scientific innovation and traditional wisdom, the PPV&FRA has emerged as a key instrument in protecting India\u2019s agricultural biodiversity, ensuring seed sovereignty, and promoting sustainable development.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Over the past 21 years, the PPV&FRA has registered thousands of new and traditional varieties, acknowledged the contribution of farmer communities, and incentivised conservation efforts through financial and institutional recognition.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The celebration of the Act\u2019s Silver Jubilee and the Authority\u2019s 21st Foundation Day marks a significant milestone in India\u2019s journey toward inclusive, sustainable, and farmer-centric agricultural development. The Authority continues to advance the vision of a resilient and biodiverse agricultural ecosystem in alignment with the principles of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan presents \u2018Plant Genome Saviour Awards\u2019 to farmers in New Delhi Silver Jubilee of PPV&FRA Act and 21st Foundation Day of the authority celebrated PPV&FRA Act has played a vital role in conserving disappearing seed varieties: Shri Chouhan Farmers must be made more aware of the PPV&FRA Act: Shri …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-education-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11838","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11838"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11838\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11841,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11838\/revisions\/11841"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}