Focus should be on specific crops of importance to the region from ecological, economic and cultural significance.

Crops identified: Rice, apple, mango, Jackfruit, Jamun, Potato, Guava and underutilized crops such as Ginger, Turmeric, Garcinia, Kachai Lemon (Citrus jambhiri), Bay leaf (Cinnamon tamala), Prunus (Prunus nepalensis), Kokum (Garcinia indica) and King chilli (Capsicum chinense), Cicca acida, Cucurbits, Dillenia indica, Pineapple, Tea, Orange, Banana, Wheat, Maize etc.

In these crops advanced biotechnological tools should be employed for conservation of unique germplasm and their genetic improvement.

The focus may be on insects under consumption as traditional medicine in Northeast India like Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Odonata, Lepidoptera, Optra, etc.

Interventions may be undertaken for enhancing fisheries production in the region. Fish varieties include Rohu, Catla, minor carps, exotic major carps, Mahseer, puthi, eels, catfish etc.

Moreover, focus should be on important animal resources of the region for breed improvement and contributing to the economics of the region such as cattle, yak, mithun, pigs, goats, chicken, duck etc.

• Proposals on most significant research leads available from medicinal plants of the Region for developing phytopharmaceutical drugs as per DCGI norms. Proposals may be formulated based on assessment of TRL levels.
• Proposals on mass multiplication of priority plants such as Gaultheria (winter green), bamboos (as source of Vanshlochan), Swertia chiraita, Nardostachys jatamansi, Valeriana wallichii, Coptis teeta (as source of berberin) may have clear focus for training the community.
• Value-addition in selected aromatic plants of NE Region such as Agarwood, Sugandhmantri, Patchouli and Citronella etc. for various novel applications in cosmetics, food and health (aroma therapy) is expected.
• Evaluation and assessment of unique local bioresources of North East Region for developing phytopharmaceuticals (e.g., Black ginger, Litsea cubeba, Paris polyphylla, Homalomena aromatica, Perilla frutescens).
• Development of nutraceutical products from unexplored medicinal plants and wild edible greens (Fiddlehead fern, Malabar spinach, Centella, Paederia foetida, etc.).

The proposals should focus on identification of beneficial microorganisms of significant use either in industrial application or local use by the communities for developing nutritionally relevant formulations.

This vertical emphasizes on the critical need to balance development with ecological preservation, address climate change, and restore degraded land and water through strategies like promoting native species, managing water resources, implementing sustainable agriculture, and involving local communities.

Major challenges: Region's extreme fragility, need for region-specific, context-based solutions.

Focus areas: Sustainable waste management, improved biomass valorisation to support clean energy goals, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Lecanicillium, hydrogen producing bacteria, Stenotrophomonas acidaminiphila, Brevibacterium sp., Brucella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Chlorella sp., Chlamydomonas sp., Botryococcus brunni, Microcystis aeruginosa, celluloytic microbes, keratinolytic microbes, Bioprocessing for Converting Natural Gas into Liquid Fuels, Biosorbants, oil recovery technology, etc.