Government to set up institute to combat droughts, floods

New Delhi: The union cabinet on Thursday approved the setting of a National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management that will develop technologies to combat droughts, extreme temperatures, floods and salinity - which threaten agriculture.

To be located in Malegaon in Maharashtra, the institute's mandate will be to pioneer research and ensure that these technologies when put in practice will lead to adaptation of crops, livestock, horticulture and fisheries to such stresses, said a cabinet note. Most of the environmental stresses are being caused by climate change.

"Abiotic stresses like drought, temperature extremes, flood, salinity, material toxicity and nutritive deficiency are threatening agricultural production globally," the statement said.

"India being a tropical country faces such abiotic stresses to a significant degree which has implications for maintaining national food security."

It is proposed that the institute, which will have a deemed university status, will carry out research programmes through four schools - schools of drought stress management, atmospheric stress management, edaphic stress management and policy support research. IANS

Source: http://indiaedunews.net/Today/