India, Israel to boost ties in agriculture

Introduction

India and Israel are forging a robust partnership in the field of agriculture, focusing on advanced technological solutions. Through collaborative efforts, both countries aim to enhance agricultural productivity, conserve water resources and promote sustainable farming practices to convert 150 villages into model villages through Israeli technical support on key agri-technologies.

High-Level Technological Cooperation

Israeli institutions and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are collaborating to advance agricultural technology.
Focus areas include water reuse, fertigation, drip irrigation, soil management, desalination, and advanced filtration.
Cooperation extends to areas like soilless agriculture, rainwater collection and treatment systems, and water security technologies.

Training and Technology Dissemination

Israeli representatives will regularly visit universities and ICAR centers across India, offering technology-based courses for students and farmers.
Around 170,000 students and farmers were trained last year, imparting knowledge on greenhouse technology, drip irrigation, canopy irrigation, and mulch.
Mulch, an inexpensive and recyclable agricultural practice, saves water, suppresses weeds, and improves moisture retention, leading to increased productivity and crop quality.

Expansion of Villages of Excellence Programme

The Villages of Excellence Programme, with Israeli technical support, aims to transform 150 villages into model villages through agri-technology interventions.
Israel plans to increase the number of villages to 270 by the next year and eventually reach 1,500 by 2026.
This initiative enables the adoption of best practices and advanced technologies to boost agricultural development at the grassroots level.

Growth of Centres of Excellence

The Indo-Israel Agriculture Project promotes the establishment of Centres of Excellence for agriculture.
Israel plans to expand the existing 30 centers, with a strong presence in Haryana and Maharashtra.
These centers will serve as hubs for disseminating innovative agricultural practices and technologies to benefit Indian farmers.