Dr. Mangi Lal Jat presently Deputy Director General – Research (a.i) and Director- Global Research Program, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad has been appointed as Secretary- Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for a period of three years .
Dr. Mangi Lal Jat is a highly respected Systems Agronomist with over 25 years of impactful experience in systems science, working extensively across the developing world. Renowned for his deep understanding and visionary leadership in agricultural research, Dr. Jat has significantly advanced sustainable farming practices that address both productivity and climate resilience.
He currently serves as the Global Research Program Director for Resilient Farm and Food Systems (RF&FS) at ICRISAT, where he leads and provides strategic, scientific, and partnership guidance across five key clusters: Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Science, Geo-spatial and Big Data Sciences, Digital Agriculture, Landscapes, Soil Health and Water Science, and the ICRISAT Development Center. His role also includes fostering cross-program linkages to integrate innovations across agricultural domains.
Dr. Jat brings a wealth of global experience through his 13 years of service with the CGIAR system—including over 12 years at CIMMYT as Principal Scientist and Systems Science Strategy Lead, and a year with IRRI. Prior to this, he served for 12 years with ICAR as a Systems Agronomist, laying a strong foundation in national agricultural systems research.
He earned his Ph.D. in Agronomy from the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, with a specialization in Soil Moisture Conservation in rainfed pearl millet. Passionate about mentoring, he has guided over four dozen students globally in systems science.
Dr. Jat has also held advisory roles with international bodies such as the United Nations FAO, International Society of Precision Agriculture (ISPA), and several others. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) and a recipient of numerous honors, including the prestigious Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award from ICAR.
Expertise: Cropping Systems Science & Strategy, Conservation Agriculture, Climate-Smart Agriculture, Regenerative Agriculture, Precision Farming, Scale-Appropriate Mechanization, and Farming Systems Design.
With his appointment as Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) – Cum – Director General, ICAR, Dr. Jat is set to bring a bold, evidence-based, and systems-driven approach to strengthening India’s agricultural research and innovation landscape.
IndianBureaucracy.com wishes Dr ML Jat the very best.