ICAR - Central Arid Zone Research Institute

The ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), headquartered in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, is India’s apex research organisation dedicated exclusively to arid zone research and development. Established in 1952 as the Desert Afforestation Research Station (DARS) which was then reorganized as the Desert Afforestation and Soil Conservation Station (DASCS) in 1957 and renamed Central Arid Zone Research Institute in 1959. Since 1966, the institute has functioned under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), an autonomous body under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India.

CAZRI is the only national institute in India mandated to undertake both basic and applied research for the sustainable development of the country’s arid and semi-arid regions. Its core objectives include developing climate-resilient farming systems, conserving natural resources, combating desertification, enhancing livestock and rangeland productivity, and generating and transferring location-specific technologies suited to fragile agroecosystems. The institute’s main campus in Jodhpur is supported by five Regional Research Stations located at Bikaner, Pali, Jaisalmer, Bhuj, and Leh, along with three Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) at Jodhpur, Pali, and Bhuj that facilitate frontline demonstrations, on-farm testing, capacity building, and technology dissemination.

Over the past six decades, CAZRI has made pioneering contributions to the rehabilitation and productivity enhancement of dry lands. Its landmark sand dune stabilisation and shelterbelt plantation programmes have played a transformative role in controlling soil erosion, desertification, and protecting agricultural landscapes. Using these technologies, nearly 0.44 million hectares of sand dunes have been stabilized, generating an estimated economic benefit of ₹3,44,531 per hectare, of which nearly 90 percent is attributed to environmental gains.

Building on this foundation, the institute has developed integrated farming and agroforestry systems that synergistically combine trees, crops, and grasses to improve soil fertility, enhance water-use efficiency, and diversify livelihood opportunities for farming communities. Through continuous genetic improvement of arid-region crops, CAZRI has developed several high-yielding, disease and pest resistant varieties of pearl millet (Maru Moti 1, (CZH-267)), moth bean (CAZRI Moth1, CAZRI Moth 2, CAZRI Moth3,CAZRI Moth 4, CAZRI Moth 5, CAZRI Moth 6, CAZRI Moth 7, CAZRI Moth 8 and CAZRI Moth 9), cluster bean (Maru Guar), and drought-resilient fruit crops such as Ber (CAZRI Gola, Maru Seb), Pomegranate (CAZRI Vishal, Maru Shreshth), Gonda (Maru Samridhee) has significantly enhanced productivity and farm incomes under low-rainfall conditions. Its innovations in pest and disease management, rainfed agriculture, and livestock-based production systems have further strengthened the resilience of resource-scarce farming environments. The institute has also developed a wide range of promising desert grass varieties, viz., Lasiurus sindicus (CAZRI Sewan1), Cenchrus ciliaris (CAZRI-75, CAZRI-358 and CAZRI Anjan-2178), Cenchrus setigerus (CAZRI-76), contributing substantially to fodder security and rangeland improvement in arid ecosystems.

CAZRI has emerged as a national leader in climate-change adaptation, renewable energy applications, and digital natural-resource management. The institute is a pioneer in agrivoltaics research in India and has established a 105 kW Agrivoltaic System (AVS) on its campus to optimize land-use efficiency through solar photovoltaic–based electricity generation, rainwater harvesting, and crop production. In addition, the institute has advanced spectroradiometer-based rapid assessment techniques for quantifying available nutrients in soil, promoted protected cultivation technologies such as polyhouse farming, and developed year-round fodder production technologies for arid regions. More than 50 successful entrepreneurs were formally trained through CAZRI, and thousands of farmers benefited across the arid regions of India in low-cost protected cultivation technology developed by the Institute.

In recent years, CAZRI has strengthened its research, innovation, and outreach programmes through the establishment of modern infrastructure, including an agri-business incubation centre, wastewater treatment plant, auditorium, and advanced training facilities. Today, ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute serves as a national hub for dryland science, technology development, and policy support, driving sustainable land use, ecological restoration, and rural resilience across India’s hot-arid and cold-arid regions.

Dr. Hanuman Sahay Jat