Helping neighbour: IFFCO signs MoU with Nepal’s NCF

In the wake of IFFCO MD Dr U S Awasthi giving a call to the cooperatives of India and Nepal to unite to usher in a new era in the region, the two countries have signed an MoU to give it concrete and practical shape.

The MoU signed between National Cooperative Federation of Nepal and Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) on Monday is about fulfilling IFFCO MD’s words who said earlier that IFFCO is ready to help Nepal with its technology and expertise.

“Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is aimed at enhancing the coop to coop business, and to support Nepalese farmers”, writes NCF on its social media page.

As per the agreement, its agreed that IFFCO will support to enhance the coop to coop business, training, and exposure, research and development, capacity building for a better service delivery as well as innovation so as to strengthen cooperative bonds.

The MoU has been signed by General Manager of NCF, Ms. Chitra Kumari Thamsuhang Subba, and Director (CD & Tech) of Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), G.K Gautam.

Those present on the occasion included Chairperson of NCF, Keshav Prasad Badal, Managing Director of IFFCO, Dr. U.S. Awasthi, senior Vice Chairperson, Min Raj Kadel, Vice Chairperson and ICA Global Board Member Om Devi Malla, Marketing Director of IFFCO Yogendra Kumar, Jt. General Manager (Cooperative Relations) Tarun Bhargava.

Mostly active in the agriculture sector and agriculture credit, cooperatives of Nepal will gain from this MoU as it is being believed the collaboration will make a significant impact on the agricultural sector in Nepal.

IFFCO sources say with its vast experience of handling more than 38 thousand co-op societies and more than three crores of farmers, it presence in Nepal would transform agricultural practices of Nepal which still depends mostly on traditional means.

Being the largest agricultural co-op federation in the world as adjudged by ICA Monitor, IFFCO has also recently ventured into bio-fertilizer and MD Awasthi ensured his Marketing Director Yogendra Kumar accompanied him on this trip to Nepal.

In the Sunday co-op conference, Kumar shared information about new innovative agriculture products and soil nutrients developed by IFFCO with the delegates present on occasion. “We wish to have a wholistic development of our neighbour on the basis of balanced fertilization”, said a top IFFCO Director back here in Delhi.