He is a distinguished Systems Agronomist with over 25 years of extensive experience in Systems Science across the developing world
The Cabinet Committee on Appointments (ACC) of the Government of India has approved the appointment of Dr Mangi Lal Jat, an internationally renowned scientist and currently the Deputy Director General (Research) at ICRISAT, as the Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and the Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Dr Jat specialises in Cropping Systems Science and Strategy, Conservation Agriculture, Climate Smart Agriculture, Regenerative Agriculture, Precision Farming, Scale-Appropriate Mechanisation, and Farming Systems Design. He is a distinguished Systems Agronomist with over 25 years of extensive experience in Systems Science across the developing world.
As a Global Research Program Director for the Resilient Farm and Food Systems (RF & FS) program at ICRISAT, Dr Jat leads and provides scientific, strategic, and partnership guidance to dynamic research teams across five clusters: Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Science, Geo-Spatial and Big Data Sciences, Digital Agriculture, Landscapes, Soil Health, and Water Science, as well as the ICRISAT Development Centre. He also facilitates cross-program linkages.
Dr Jat has dedicated 13 years of service to the CGIAR, including over 12 years at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) as a Principal Scientist/System Agronomist and System Science Strategy Lead, and one year at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). He has also served 12 years at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) as a Systems Agronomist.