JHANSI, Feb. 8 -- The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, and Banda University of Agriculture and Technology (BUAT) are jointly working to set up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Dryland Farming to boost water conservation and pulse production in the Bundelkhand region. ICRISAT director general Himanshu Pathak announced the collaboration during his visit to the university on Saturday. Vice-chancellor prof SVS Raju said the two institutions held detailed discussions on an action plan for establishing the centre. Addressing faculty members and students, Pathak spoke about the changing global agricultural landscape. He said Indian agriculture had made the country self-sufficient in foodgrains over the past five decades and enabled exports, but future challenges were intensifying. "To deal with climate change, population growth and global market demand, we need policy reforms and new technologies," he said, urging young scientists to focus on problem-oriented research and innovation. Prof Raju said the proposed centre would introduce world-class dryland farming technologies, demonstrate them to farmers, conserve local pulse varieties and develop improved cultivars suited to the region. The initiative is expected to raise productivity in water-scarce areas of Bundelkhand....