SPEAKER'S PROFILES
William D Dar
Empowering 600 million poor people to overcome hunger, poverty and a degraded environment in the dry tropics through better agriculture is the raison d’etre of ICRISAT. An apex global R&D organization, it functions in the inhospitable terrains of Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, where its core competencies in the areas of Agroecosystems development, Biotechnology, Crop improvement and Institutions, Markets, Policies and Impacts serve the purpose of improving the well-being of the poor. This presentation delves on ICRISAT’s core research competencies, its science triumphs and impacts and IGNRM approach towards research on its five mandate crops, while at the same time describing steps taken to enhance its relevance and impact. ICRISAT has an ear to the ground when it comes to development challenges such as climate change, drought and degradation, biofuels, agricultural diversification and linking farmers with markets, which it address through operational research strategies.
The presentation goes on to elucidate on the power of public-private-farmer partnerships in ICRISAT’s mission towards reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutritional security and protecting the environment of the semi-arid tropics. Its strategic partnerships range from inter-center initiatives to ties with national and sub-regional organizations, host-country partnerships and expanded alliances through e-learning. Its innovations have been achieved with the help of proactive governance, decentralization, team spirit, sound financial management, innovative resource mobilization, strategic marketing and extension communication. As it moves into the future, ICRISAT strives to mobilize science and technology to improve dryland agriculture amidst the daunting challenges of rising prices and climate change.
