At the Vanguard of Food and Nutrition Security: Jai Rana Reaps Indian Academy Endowment Award

Agrobiodiversity is at the heart of Jai Chand Rana’s career, spanning more than three decades of research. Rana is the newest recipient of the prestigious Dr. L.C. Sikka Endowment Award for the Biennium 2023-2024 from the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS).

Acting as the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT’s country representative since 2017, Rana along with Agrobiodiversity team of the Alliance led by Carlo Fadda has spearheaded the delivery of evidence-informed solutions harnessing local agricultural biodiversity towards sustainable and inclusive food systems transformation in India. His research expertise on enhancing crop diversity’s adaptive management for resilient agriculture and improved livelihoods is instrumental to earning the NAAS endowment award—recognizing his efforts to further accelerate the government’s vision for a food- and nutrition-secure India by 2030.