10 April 2025
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is a pioneering, internationally recognized International Organization committed to developing and improving dryland farming and agri-food systems to address the challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and environmental degradation affecting the 2.1 billion people residing in the drylands of Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and beyond.
ICRISAT was established under a Memorandum of Agreement between the Government of India and the CGIAR on the 28 March 1972. In accordance with the Headquarters Agreement, the Government of India has extended the status of a specified “International Organisation” to ICRISAT under section 3 of the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947 of the Republic of India through Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. UI/222(66)/71, dated 28 October 1972, issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
Building upon a legacy of innovation, ICRISAT has achieved numerous world firsts in the realm of dryland agriculture. Some notable milestones include mapping the genome code for cultivated groundnut—the first of its kind, releasing the inaugural commercial pigeonpea hybrid in India, and introducing Africa's pioneering biofortified pearl millet. These innovations, alongside others, have played a pivotal role in delivering real and tangible development outcomes for innumerable dryland communities by directly providing sustenance, nutrition, and livelihoods, especially for women, children and the most vulnerable.
ICRISAT's headquarters are located in Asia (India), and the organization maintains offices across Eastern and Southern Africa, West and Central Africa. Their three research programs — Accelerated Crop Improvement, Resilient Farm and Food Systems, and Enabling Systems Transformation — operate seamlessly with one another and across these regions and beyond, focusing on propelling dryland innovation tailored to local agro-ecologies and their socioeconomic contexts.
ICRISAT recognizes that the significance of the dryland crops in which they specialize will be further accentuated due to the impact of climate change. Drawing from five decades of expertise, their research will continue to focus on crops vital to dryland communities, ranging from chickpea, pigeonpea, and groundnut to sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, small millet, and oilseeds. This collective knowledge is progressively shaping the global development narrative on how to fortify sustainable futures and they invite you to partner with them on this journey.
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