Research on climate change at Icrisat

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST-Climate Change Programme) have launched Centre of Excellence on Climate Change Research for Plant Protection (CoE-CCRPP) at the institute's headquarters at Patancheru on the city outskirts.

The project, funded by the DST-Climate Change Programme, is for a three-year period with an overall goal to establish facilities and provide opportunities for Icrisat and partner institutes to conduct research-for-development initiatives on climate change and its impact on diseases and insect-pests of legumes in the semi-arid tropics.

“This partnership between DST and Icrisat will have a major bearing on environment-friendly, pest mitigation strategies for the sustainable production of grain legumes and in increasing food security in the dryland areas – particularly in regions most vulnerable to climate change,” Icrisat director general, William Dar, said in a release.