SKUAST-K bags Rs 7.2 cr ANRF grant for agri innovations

Srinagar, Dec 26: SKUAST-K has secured a major scientific windfall, winning eight high-impact R&D projects worth Rs 7.22 crore from the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).
The funding, awarded through a rigorous national competitive call, is set to accelerate agricultural innovation and solidify the university’s position as a premier hub for cutting-edge research and innovations.
The selection marks a significant milestone for the university, as it emerged from a massive pool of over 12,600 proposals submitted by top-tier universities and national laboratories across the country. Following a stringent peer-review process, these eight sanctioned projects will focus on disease resistant apple, modernising saffron cultivation, climate resilient beans, pheromone-based moth management, genomic database for Himalayan sheep, regenerative medicine, diagnostic platform, and early detection of fruit diseases to address the region’s most pressing agricultural and biosecurity challenges.
While congratulating the Principal Investigators of the projects for securing these high impact grants, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai said these eight initiatives represent a transformative leap for SKUAST-K, with the potential to reshape regional farming and contribute significantly to food security and environmental health.