India has secured a $98 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to enhance horticulture productivity by promoting plant health management. This initiative aligns with the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme (CPP) and aims to increase crop yields, improve quality, and build resilience against climate change.
The funding will focus on the establishment of disease-free planting material systems, which will benefit farmers through access to high-quality planting materials. The project will be overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, in partnership with the National Horticulture Board and Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
Key Project Details
Loan Agreement: Signed by Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, and Kai Wei Yeo from ADB’s India Mission.
Objective: To support the establishment of clean plant centres, equipped with advanced diagnostic facilities for disease-free plant materials.
Focus Areas: Improving crop yield and quality, enhancing farmers’ resilience to climate change, and developing regulatory frameworks for plant health management.
Collaboration: The project will work closely with private nurseries, researchers, state governments, and growers’ associations to ensure long-term sustainability.
Alignment with Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme
- The initiative is part of the broader Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme, which aims to bolster India’s horticulture sector through better plant health management and the establishment of disease-free planting systems.
- Expected Outcomes: Increased crop productivity, climate resilience, and a strengthened regulatory framework for plant health management.
Summery of the news
| Why in News | Key Points |
|---|---|
| India signs $98 million loan with ADB for horticulture | – Loan amount: $98 million from Asian Development Bank (ADB) to enhance horticulture productivity in India. – Focus on establishing disease-free planting material systems to boost crop yield and quality. – Project aims to improve resilience to climate change. – Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme (CPP) aligned with the project. – Involves clean plant centres with diagnostic laboratories for maintaining high-quality planting materials. |
| Loan Agreement Signatories | – Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance (India). – Kai Wei Yeo, Officer-in-Charge, ADB’s India Resident Mission. |
| Collaboration | – Collaborating entities: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, National Horticulture Board, Indian Council of Agricultural Research. – Private nurseries, researchers, state governments, and growers’ associations to ensure success. |
| Implementation Details | – Clean plant centres with state-of-the-art laboratories for disease diagnostics. – Clean plant certification scheme for private nurseries to ensure certified planting materials. |
| Relevance to Climate Change | – Focus on adapting to climate change through disease-free planting materials. – Rising temperatures affect pest and disease behavior, making plant health management crucial. |
| Scheme Related | – Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme (CPP): Focus on improving plant health management in horticulture. – Clean plant certification for quality planting materials. |
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