About Central Island Agricultural Research Institute
Realizing the importance of agriculture in the Islands for better livelihoods, Indian Council of Agricultural Research has established the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) at Port Blair on 23rd June 1978 by merging the regional stations of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) and Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). In 2017, it was christened as Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (CIARI) with extended mandate of addressing the researchable issues of Island ecosystems of Lakshadweep in Arabian Sea along with Andaman and Nicobar Islands in Bay of Bengal. Since inception, CIARI has been addressing the researchable issues for furthering the cause of sustainable farming in the islands which is predominantly covered with plantation based systems. Presently, the research work is organized under five divisions, viz., Horticulture and Forestry, Field Crops Improvement and Protection, Natural Resource Management, Animal Science, and Fishery Science along with a section on Social Science at Port Blair.
The institute has four research farms, main campus at Garacharma of 62 ha area, where work on field crops, horticulture, Animal Sciences and fresh water fisheries are carried out. Another one is at Sippighat in South Andaman having an area of 32 ha where research work on horticulture and brackish water fisheries is carried out. World Coconut Germplasm Centre is also located along with Sipighat farm where 24 Pacific Ocean Islands collections are conserved along with six collections from Nicobar Islands. Third farm is located at Bloomsdale in South Andaman which has flat lands of 3.5 ha and this is used for research work on Natural Resource Management and field crops. The fourth farm is at Marine Hill where state of the art fisheries informatics lab has been established. The institute has fairly adequate laboratory facilities for all divisions in addition to a well equipped Central Instrumentation Facility with all possible sophisticated instruments. A regional Station is functioning at Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep and three KVKs are under the Institute catering the agricultural technology needs of South Andaman, North& Middle Andaman and Nicobar Districts.
The major mandate of the institute is to provide a research base to improve the productivity of important agriculture, horticulture, livestock and fishery sector of A & N Islands through adoptive, basic and strategic research. While earlier focus was to attain self sufficiency for island, the situation has changed in recent years. Due to the impact of the climate change and changing scenario of the agriculture practices, focus will now be to make self sufficiency by enhancing the productivity without disturbing the fragile ecosystem.
Mandate
- To provide a research base to improve the productivity of agri-horticulture, livestock and fisheries of Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep group of Islands through basic, applied and adaptive research
- Conservation, characterization and sustainable utilization of natural resources and harnessing through post harvest and value addition
- To standardize technologies for health coverage and bio security of plant, animal and fishery resources
- To standardize techniques for capture and culture fisheries including coastal aquaculture
- Vulnerability studies of Island ecosystem and adaptive strategies to develop climate resilient agriculture
- Transfer of technology, capacity building, policy support and market intelligence to stake holders
Vision
Sustainable development in agri-horticulture, livestock and fisheries sector in the changing climatic scenario to ensure decent livelihood in the fragile island ecosystem
Mission
Providing decent livelihood to farm youth from agriculture in a fragile island ecosystem on sustainable basis.