He said, 'conventional technologies of agriculture are inadequate to meet the formidable challenges. The most compelling case for bio-technology and more specifically transgenic crops is their capability to increase crop productivity, lower production costs, conserving bio-diversity, efficient use of external inputs, and improvement of economic and social benefits and alleviation of abject poverty in poor and developing countries.'

Referring to animal husbandry, the Minster said that the threat from trans-boundary animal diseases and epizoonotics has increased. He stressed on the research on developing crop-live stock farming system based on integrated food-fodder, breed-health and bio-security management.

Shri Pawar underlined the need for alliance of ICAR-University and line departments of State governments for creating an atmosphere of academic excellence. He said, 'we must strive to be models of all-round excellence in creating institutions of global standards. Requisite models of public-private partnerships must be evolved for educational activities as well as for development, application and flow of technologies from lab to the market place and for strengthening of National Agricultural Research System (NARS) infrastructure, through active interface with the industry.'

The Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Prof. KV Thomas, in his address, emphasized on the need for a big push in the higher education sector in Agriculture and Allied subjects- both economically and technologically. He called for a three-fold increase in the number of PhDs , Post Doctoral, Masters and Bachelor degree holders and integrating PhD students with the research priorities of ICAR. Without working out the numbers and prioritizing research engagement especially in cutting edge areas like nano technology, biotechnology and instrumentation in agriculture, historic momentum in agriculture can not be fully sustained, Prof. Thomas asserted. He also emphasized on strengthening international cooperation, and private sector participation in the field of agricultural research.