SOUVENIR ALL INDIA COORDINATED RESEARCH PROJECT FOR DRYLAND AGRICULTURE CRIDA, HYDERABAD XV Working Group Meeting (24th-27th December, 2015) BISWANATH CHARIALI CENTRE ASSAM AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

Abstract

It is my proud privilege to express heartfelt thanks to the entire AICRPDA family for giving me the responsibility of bringing out a souvenir to commemorate the occasion of XVth Working Group Meeting of AICRPDA at Biswanath Chariali Centre, BNCA, Assam Agricultural University. I, on behalf of the editorial board do extend a warm welcome to all delegate scientists and dignitaries coming from different parts of our country to this holy historic place of Biswanath, popularly known as ‘Gupta Kanshi’. Holding such a mega event of national importance for the first time at a place like Biswanath Chariali at the far east of the country amidst the bounty of natural resources and an area being almost entirely rainfed is of great significance. In view of the aim of realizing the dream of another green revolution that is envisaged from the rainfed areas of the country particularly the eastern and north eastern parts; this workshop is expected to march ahead further for achieving the goal. The vast ‘Gene’ resource of the North East India offers plenty of scope for their utilization to cope up the challenges of rainfed agriculture. This is a challenging task of converting these ‘Gene’ resources into viable ‘Seed Resources’ for their commercial exploitation keeping the very natural resource base and integrity unaltered. A holistic effort with all modern technological interventions is the need of the hour to bring into sustainable utilization of the natural resource base of the region. The idea of bringing out the souvenir in its present form came with the realization of the need of accumulating the multitude of the concepts required for framing the objectives of rainfed area research particularly for the North Eastern part of India. I am fortunate to have the wholehearted response from many luminaries from several ICAR institutes including CRIDA and number dignified scientists from the Assam Agricultural University contributing their valuable articles. I, do express gratitude and thankfulness from my inner core of the heart to all of them for their valuable contributions. I am extremely grateful to the Honorable Vice Chancellor, AAU, Dr. Kamalmalla Bujarbaruah sir, for his constant inspiration and suggestions all along the organization of the workshop. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Srinivasa Rao, Director, CRIDA, Dr. G. N. Hazarika, Director of Research (Agri), AAU, Dr.G.Rabindra Charry, PC, AICRPDA, Dr. T.C. Baruah, Associate Dean, BNCA, Dr. P.K. Sarma, CS, AICRPDA and all associated scientists for their encouragement, moral support and valuable suggestions. Last but not the least, all the Research Associates working under AICRPDA, BNCA, do deserve due share of thanks for their all round helps in bringing out the souvenir.