New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the establishment of the International Potato Centre (CIP)’s South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC) in Singna, Agra, Uttar Pradesh.
This strategic move aims to elevate India’s agricultural ecosystem by strengthening the potato and sweetpotato value chains through world-class research, innovation, and capacity building.
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The initiative – spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare – is designed to enhance food and nutrition security, improve farmer incomes, and generate rural employment by increasing productivity, efficiency in post-harvest management, and promoting value-added processing.
Key Objectives of the CSARC in Agra:
- Development and dissemination of climate-resilient, high-yielding, and nutrient-rich potato and sweetpotato varieties
- Strengthening post-harvest technologies, storage, and value addition
- Promoting regional cooperation in research and agricultural innovation
- Boosting employment across agriculture, food processing, packaging, transportation, and marketing sectors
- Supporting India’s self-reliance (Aatmanirbhar Bharat) and sustainable development goals
International Potato Centre: Key Regional Hub
The International Potato Centre (CIP), a part of CGIAR, is globally renowned for advancing root and tuber crop research.
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The new Agra centre will serve as a key regional hub to accelerate agricultural transformation across South Asia, ensuring improved productivity and resilience to climate change in farming communities.
The decision aligns with India’s commitment to agricultural innovation, nutrition enhancement, and job creation, particularly in rural areas. With Uttar Pradesh being a major potato-producing state, the CSARC is expected to significantly impact both domestic and regional food systems.
