Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, May 4: In a significant scientific breakthrough, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday announced that India has developed two genome-edited rice varieties, making it the first country in the world to do so. He hailed the achievement as a landmark in agricultural innovation that will boost production while promoting environmental sustainability.
“These new crops will not only increase yield but also save irrigation water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Chouhan said, addressing a gathering. “This is a milestone that will be written in golden letters in India’s agricultural history.”
The new rice varietie DRR Rice 100 (Kamla) and Pusa DST Rice 1 were developed by scientists at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) using CRISPR-Cas genome editing technology.
Unlike GMOs, these varieties do not introduce foreign DNA, but instead make precise changes to the plant’s genetic material, enhancing climate resilience and water-use efficiency.
Chouhan credited the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that during the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', PM Modi had urged farmers to adopt modern technologies. “Inspired by his call, ICAR scientists have achieved this revolutionary success,” he said.
The minister highlighted the urgent need to ensure food security, increase nutritious crop production, and position India as the global food basket. “We are proud that India exports Basmati rice worth ?48,000 crore annually,” he said.
He also proposed the “Minus 5 and Plus 10” formula a strategy to reduce the rice cultivation area by 5 million hectares and increase production by 10 million tons through advanced techniques. This would free up land for oilseeds and pulses like soybean, arhar, tur, urad, and lentils.
Calling on young farmers to embrace innovation, Chouhan stated: “We must take research from labs to the fields. When scientists and farmers collaborate, miracles happen.”
The minister concluded by reiterating the importance of genome-edited crops in shaping a sustainable agricultural future and driving India toward prosperity.