ICAR-NAARM Vision 2050

Abstract

The National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM) has a key role in enhancing the capacities of individuals and institutions of National Agricultural Research System (NARS) in agricultural research, education and technology management. Over the last four decades, the Academy has been contributing significantly to the development of scientists and research leaders in the ICAR and Agricultural Universities sensitive and responsive to the needs of its stakeholders. To fulfil this, it has expanded its activities reaching all stakeholders of NARS including farmers, extension personnel, entrepreneurs and R&D managers in agribusiness sector. NAARM has also facilitated several new policies, institutional mechanisms, and initiatives leading to enhanced capacities in the NARS. In recent years, the Academy has also widened the scope of its activities and initiated academic programmes in agricultural management and technology management to develop a new generation of young leaders and managers who can contribute to sustainable agricultural development. The NAARM Vision 2050 flows from the ICAR Vision 2050, with a focus on innovation as the key driver of growth. Based on the premise that innovation can be achieved through knowledge-driven agriculture, there is a need for developing new research governance models to meet the emerging challenges. The Vision is based on a central theme that human resources and institutions are the key determinants of future agricultural development in India. It recognizes the role of emerging science and technologies across diverse sectors and identifies their enabling nature. The integration of these into the agricultural value chain requires new partnerships and paradigms. Further, the evolving changes in agri-education sector focusing from a ‘teaching to learning’ mode and the need for rational use of large information signifies the requirement to develop newer institutional mechanisms and capacities. The Vision also identifies the crucial need for a continuous stakeholder engagement to usher effective and efficient performance in the NARS with more transparency and accountability systems in place. It is in this context, the NAARM Vision 2050 identifies the human resource and institutional capacity challenges and then develops a roadmap for the Academy to enhance effectiveness of NARS. The roadmap centers on three critical management domains: leadership development; governance and innovation systems management which lead to new opportunities for the Academy to play an effective role in the planned transformation process of the NARS. Through institutionalization of a capacity building framework in NARS, it aims to promote research and teaching excellence, innovation, good governance and leadership succession in NARS covering all cadres of professionals across the key roles of research, education and technology transfer. As an integrated institution of agricultural research management, the Academy focuses on creation, dissemination and application of knowledge through its academic, training, research, consultancy and policy support programmes. The Academy plans to facilitate the organizational renewal of institutions of NARS and enable them to harness developments in science for sustainable growth and welfare of the farmers, consumers and other stakeholders in the agri-supply chain. Through research-based inputs and advice to agricultural policy makers, planners and administrators, the Academy seeks to emerge as a global thought leader and become a leading agricultural research management organization in the world. Thus, the NAARM Vision 2050 provides the basis and direction for enhancing capacities of NARS to address the challenges of agricultural and rural development in the 21st century.