CAZRI Full Form

When a blockage in the fallopian tubes prevents sperm from adhering to the egg normally, zygote intra fallopian transfer (ZIFT) is utilised as an infertility treatment. Egg cells are extracted from a woman’s ovaries and fertilised in vitro. Laparoscopy is used to insert the resulting zygote into the fallopian tube. The procedure is a variation on the GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer) procedure. The pregnancy and implantation rates in ZIFT cycles were 52.3 and 23.2 percent, respectively, which were greater than the 17.5 and 9.7 percent found in IVF cycles.

One of the largest research institutes of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), an independent organisation operating under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture Research and Education (DARE) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare of the Government of India, is the Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI). One of the earliest organisations in the world dedicated solely to arid zone research and development is CAZRI. In order to conduct research on sand dune stabilisation and for the creation of shelterbelt plants to stop wind erosion, the Government of India established the Desert Afforestation Research Station at Jodhpur in 1952.

On the advice of UNESCO, it was reformed as the Desert Afforestation and Soil Conservation Station in 1957 and finally as the Central Arid Zone Research Institute in 1959. (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

Origin

The arid zone of India spans around 12% of the country’s land area, with over 31.7 million hectares of hot desert and about 7 million hectares of cold desert. Low and variable precipitation (100-420 mm/year), high evapotranspiration (1500-2000 mm/year), and poor soil physical and fertility characteristics hinder production and life support systems in hot climates. Indigenous people have developed appropriate land use and management systems for farming, pastoralism, and animal husbandry; nevertheless, these local survival strategies have recently proven unable to meet the ever-increasing demands. This has resulted in resource overexploitation, resulting in extensive land degradation and productivity reduction. Desert Afforestation Station was founded in 1952 in Jodhpur to halt the deterioration process and to ensure scientific and sustainable resource management. The Desert Afforestation and Soil Conservation Station was established in 1957, and the Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI) was established in 1959 under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in New Delhi. The CAZRI is organised into six divisions with headquarters in Jodhpur. To focus on location-specific challenges, there are five Regional Research Stations positioned in various agro-climatic zones.

Mandate

Authorities and Policies of CAZRI

• To conduct basic and practical research that will help to establish sustainable farming methods in the arid environment
• In the form of a digital database, operate as a repository of information on the state of natural resources and the process of desertification and its control
• Depending on livestock species, establish livestock-based agricultural methods and range management practises for chronically drought-affected areas, as well as aquaculture in water
• In order to use high-precision technology in manufacturing processes
• To provide scientific leadership and to foster collaboration with state agricultural universities, state line departments, and other national and international agencies in the development and transmission of location-specific technology
• As a learning centre for arid land management technologies
• To produce financial resources through providing consulting and other services in order to make use of the available skills
• To provide consulting services

Divisions

• Division of Natural Resources
• Division of Integrated Farming Systems
• Division of Livestock Production and Range Management
• Division of Plant Improvement and Pest Management
• Division of Agricultural Engineering and Renewable Energy
• Division of Transfer of Technology and Training

Regional Research Stations

CAZRI operates five Regional Research Stations (RRSs) to address arid zone-specific issues. The institute also sponsors an All India National Network Project on Vertebrate Pest Management, which has centres in a variety of institutes and SAUs around the country.

• RRS Pali-Marwar (Rajasthan)
• RRS Jaisalmer (Rajasthan)
• RRS Bikaner (Rajasthan)
• RRS Kukma-Bhuj (Gujarat)
• RRS Leh (Ladakh)

Facilities

Laboratory, research farms, field laboratories, and office facilities are available at the institute’s headquarters and regional research stations (RRSs). Other facilities at the headquarters include an auditorium, two conference rooms, a museum, one international guest house, one training hostel, and one farmers’ hostel. Krishi Vigyan Kendras (Jodhpur and Pali) provide training and housing for farmers, as well as additional support for the institute’s technology transfer and outreach activities. The institute’s library, named after Dr. P.C. Raheja, houses a large collection of books and journals. Library is also used for barcoding.

Conclusion

The Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI) is one of the largest research institutes of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), an autonomous agency working under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare’s Department of Agriculture Research and Education (DARE). CAZRI holds the distinction of being one of the first institutes dedicated solely to arid zone research and development in the world. The government of India established the Desert Afforestation Research Station in Jodhpur in 1952 to conduct research on sand dune stability and the construction of shelter belt plantings to prevent wind erosion. On the recommendation of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) expert Prof. C.S. Christian of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia, it was renamed Desert Afforestation and Soil Conservation Station in 1957, and then Central Arid Zone Research Institute in 1959. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, took over administrative administration of the institute in 1966.