The government today said it has set up a National Fund for Basic Strategic and Frontier Application Research in Agriculture (NFBSFARA) to address critical constraints in agriculture.

In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said it has been set up in 2006 and new models of value chain and sustainable rural livelihoods have been developed.

Mr Pawar said the Research Institutes of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) undertake research work pertaining to natural resource management, animal husbandry and fisheries.

He said some of the major research accomplishments in recent years have been diagnostics and vaccines for a number of plant and animal diseases.

The minister informed that the adoption of technologies by farmers in the country has resulted in manifold increase in farm productivity and production. Mr Pawar said the functioning of ICAR is reviewed at regular intervals.

He said each research institute also has a research advisory committee that reviews progress of research and provides advice on the direction and types of scientific aspects of research.