Fifth Plant Genome Saviour Community Award (2011-12), Farmer Reward and Recognitions (2012) function

22 May, 2013 A.P.Shinde Symposium Hall, NASC Complex, New Delhi

Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmers’ Rights Authority in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, organised the 5th Plant Genome Savior Community Awards on the 22nd of May, 2013 at A.P.Shinde Symposium Hall, NASC Complex, New Delhi. The Chief Guest, Hon’ble Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Sh. Tariq Anwar presented the awards, rewards and recognition certificates to the farming communities / farmers for their dedicated and untiring efforts in the conservation, management and improvement of plant genetic resources, particularly in areas identified as agro-biodiversity hotspots.

Four Farming Communities were conferred the Plant Genome Saviour Community Award consisting of Rs. Ten Lakh in cash, citation and memento, ten farmers were conferred the Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Reward of Rs. One Lakh each, citation and memento and the Plant Genome Saviour Farmer

Recognition certificate was presented to fifteen farmers. Awardees list

Three publications were released during the awards function. “Cultivated Plants and Their Wild Relatives in India – An Inventory”

compiled by Dr. A K Singh, Dr. R S Rana, Dr. Bhag Mal, Dr. Brahma Singh and Dr. R C Agrawal was released by Dr. R.S. Paroda, Chairman, Haryana Kisan Ayog and Chairman, TAAS. This ‘Inventory’ lists scientific names of 811 cultivated plants and their 902 genetically close wild relatives.

“Compendium of Varieties Registered Under PPV&FR ACT 2001 (Volume: 01, 2009-2012)” was released by Sh. Avinash Srivastava, Additional Secretary, Agriculture and Cooperation. The compendium contains brief description along with essential characters of 545 varieties registered upto December 2012 under the PPV&FR Act, 2001.

“DUS Characterisation of Rice Varieties” published by Dr Subba Rao and others, Directorate of Rice Research was released by Sh. Atanu Purkayastha, Joint Secretary, Seeds

Sh. Atanu Purkayastha also presented eight certificates of registration to the farmers.

The awards function was graced by a galaxy of dignitaries including Dr. Nagarajan and Dr. P.L. Gautam, former Chairpersons, PPV&FR Authority; Vice Chancellors (Dr.B.S. Dhillon, Vice Chancellor, PAU, Dr. S.K. Sharma, Vice Chancellor, HPKVV, Palampur, Dr. Gill VC, MPUAT, Udaipur, Dr. S.A. Patil, Chairman, Karnatak Krishi Mission), representatives of DAC, DDGs Dr. K.D. Kokate, Dr. M.M. Pandey, Directors, ADGs, Project Directors and Project Coordinators; representatives from the embassy, CG centres, UN

organizations (UNDP, FAO), foreign delegates from the Netherlands; members of the Authority, farmers, farm women and media persons from Press Information Bureau, All India Radio, Doordarshan and correspondents. An exhibition, consisting of genetic resources conserved by the awardees was also organised at the atrium of the symposium Hall. The exhibition was inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Hon’ble Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Sh. Tariq Anwar, who interacted with the farmers and expressed keen interest in the activities undertaken by the farmers / farming community. The awards function was followed by an interactive National Dialogue on Farmers Rights under the chairmanship of Dr. R.S. Paroda.