Message from Dr. Higgins

Dear Professor Sarmah,

I firmly believe that the DBT-NECAB for Agricultural Biotechnology will lead to improved agriculture in India, both for the North-East region and for the nation as a whole.

The Centre’s programmes for scientific exchange, workshops and innovative project funding will be very important for capacity building especially in the region. These will not only have immediate benefits but their effects will continue to be felt for many years to come.

The Centre’s research programmes will lead to the development of regional excellence in biotechnology. This will be achieved by advances in the use of modern methods of molecular genetics to improve the resilience of chickpea to insect pests, rice to abiotic stress especially drought, the use of microbes for more effective bio-fertilisers, bio-insecticides that are also cost-effective and that can be deployed in acid soils.

It gives me great pleasure to Chair the Scientific Advisory Committee of the DBT-NECAB of Agricultural Biotechnology. My many years of collaboration with AAU convince me that the University will achieve its goals because of the very high teaching and research standards set by a most committed and scholarly staff. I am very impressed by the enthusiasm of the students and wish both staff and students the very best for the future of the Centre and beyond.

Dr TJ Higgins FAA FTSE

Chair, Scientific Advisory Committee