The XVI Agricultural Science Congress being jointly organized by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences
(NAAS) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) during 10-13 October 2023, at hotel Le Meridien,
Kochi, is a mega event echoing the theme “Transformation of Agri-Food Systems for achieving Sustainable
Development Goals”. ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute takes great pride in hosting the XVI ASC,
which will be the perfect point of convergence of academicians, researchers, students, farmers, fishers, traders,
entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders involved in agri-production systems that ensure food and nutritional security
for a burgeoning population.
With impeding challenges like growing urbanization, increasing unemployment, growing population, increasing
food demands, degradation of natural resources through human interference, climate change impacts and natural
calamities, the challenges ahead for India to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out by the
United Nations are many. The XVI ASC will provide an interface for dissemination of useful information across all
sectors of stakeholders invested in developing India’s agri-food systems, not only to meet the SDGs, but also to
ensure a stable structure on par with agri-food systems around the world.
It is an honour to present this Book of Abstracts which is a compilation of a total of 668 abstracts that convey the
results of R&D programs being done in India. The abstracts have been categorized under 10 major Themes – 1.
Ensuring Food & Nutritional Security: Production, Consumption and Value addition; 2. Climate Action for Sustainable
Agri-Food Systems; 3. Frontier Science and emerging Genetic Technologies: Genome, Breeding, Gene Editing;
4. Livestock-based Transformation of Food Systems; 5. Horticulture-based Transformation of Food Systems; 6.
Aquaculture & Fisheries-based Transformation of Food Systems; 7. Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable AgriFood Systems; 8. Next Generation Technologies: Digital Agriculture, Precision Farming and AI-based Systems; 9.
Policies and Institutions for Transforming Agri-Food Systems; 10. International Partnership for Research, Education
and Development.
This Book of Abstracts sets the stage for the mega event itself, which will see a flow of knowledge emanating
from a zeal to transform and push India’s Agri-Food Systems to perform par excellence and achieve not only the
SDGs of the UN but also to rise as a world leader in the sector. I thank and congratulate all the participants who
have submitted abstracts for this mega event, and I also applaud the team that has strived hard to publish this
Book of Abstracts ahead of the event. I wish all the delegates and participants a very vibrant and memorable
time at the XVI ASC
