Israel to assist India in doubling farmers’ income by 2022

India will adapt Israeli advanced agricultural technology to increase productivity. Accordingly, Israel to assist India in doubling farmers’ income by 2022.

Indo-Israeli Centre of Excellence for Vegetables Protected Cultivation in Guwahati

Israel’s Ambassador to India Dr Ron Malka laid the foundation of ‘Indo-Israeli Centre of Excellence for Vegetables Protected Cultivation’ on 2nd November in Guwahati. The ₹ 10.33-crore project is set up with an aim to bolster agricultural activities in Assam. Also, it will give exposure to Israel’s technology which will eventually help them in better production and increase their income.

In his three day visit to India’s north-eastern states, Dr Malka said that Israel’s technological infusions in agriculture, agri-business, and food processing would help India to realize the government’s vision of doubling farmer’s income by 2022. Besides, he noted the importance of overhauling the value chain, from the farmer to the end consumer. Further, he emphasized that there is a need to build capacity so that farmers can compete in the market.

Israel Supports Amendment in India’s Farm Laws

Dr Malka underlined the close relationship between the two countries. Further, he highlighted the joint efforts of both countries in the fight against COVID-19. Besides, the nation supported India’s decision to amend farm laws. Earlier, he mentioned that Indian farmers would see the benefits of these changes “after the dust settles”.

Indian Farmers Benefit from Israel’s Advanced Technology

After the success of the 10-year-old Indo-Israeli Agriculture Project (IIAP), India and Israel agreed to jointly develop new crop varieties and share post-harvesting technologies in 2018. Further, the plan included a partnership on water conservation, wastewater treatment, and reusing it for agriculture.

Currently, there are 29 active centres where Israel is sharing its advanced technology with India. Around 10,000 to 20,000 farmers visit each of these centres every year. Some of these notable centres include a centre for vegetables in Karnal, Haryana, for mangoes in Dapoli and citrus fruits in Nagpur (Maharashtra), and one for pomegranates in Bassi, Rajasthan. The data released by the government revealed a 5-10 times increase in productivity with a substantial decrease in water, pesticide, and fertilizer requirements.