Israel India | Business Guide | 2017

034 > ‏ Agriculture > Cooperation makes it better Israel-India > Business Guide > 2017 ‏ I ndia is presently in the midst of its second ‘Green Revolution’.During the first green revolution, the country achieved self- sufficiency in the supply of food grains, an extraordinary achievement in its agricultural sector. While dealing with a high rate of population increase,the issue of food security became crucial,leading India to a compelling need to find alternative ways to feed its 1.2 billion people. ‏ The first goal of the present‘Green Revolution’is the transition towards sustainable agriculture, including implementing agricultural production practices that take into consideration the protection of natural resources and the environment; effective utilization of water resources and the reduction of harmful pesticides.The second goal is diversification – by diversifying the food basket,the population will benefit from a larger supply of fruits and vegetables, a primary source of essential minerals and vitamins. The important task of achieving this challenge was entrusted to India’s National Horticulture Mission (NHM). ‏ Bilateral relations between Israel and India have deepened and widened since full diplomatic relations were established in 1992.The two countries share values, interests and similar challenges and successfully cooperate in wide variety of subjects. ‏ Throughout the years the State of Israel developed unique expertise and approaches to sustainable agricultural and rural development under semi-arid and arid climatic conditions. As one of the oldest international development agencies in the world,MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, is committed to sharing with the developing world Israel’s own creative solutions and first and experience.This includes,among others, management of limited natural production resources and the integration of modern agro-technologies, water and irrigation, research and development, agricultural extension and delivering of know-how to farmers and to the rural areas at large,in order to enhance overall national employment and economic growth. Training the Trainers The Indo-Israeli Agriculture Cooperation Project helps to receive bigger return on investments, increase yield and the efficiency of natural resources ‏ Sharon Kabalo > Photos: Courtesy of MASHAV Field workers explaining growing methods to visiting groups ‏ It is within this framework of cooperation, and based on these achievements,that India’s National Horticulture Mission chose Israel as a partner to promote the goals of the second ‘Green Revolution’. ‏ The Indo-Israeli Action Plan ‏ The first stage of the Indo-Israeli Agricultural Cooperation Project started in 2008 following the signing of an Action Plan based on a Government to Government Agreement. The implementing partners are the National Horticulture Mission under the Ministry of Agriculture of India andMASHAV under Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ‏ It was decided that the most effective way of transferring professional knowhow and achieving the stated goals will be through the establishment of“Agricultural Centers of Excellence,”in different Indian States.Within this framework,MASHAV was asked to share best-practices and provide capacity building through professional training programs to be conducted both in Israel and in India. ‏ The project stated three main objectives: ‏ • To increase the diversity of farmers so they can achieve a bigger return on investments from their land. ‏ • To increase the yield of produce along the value chain both in quality and quantity, through,among others,excellent seedlings, cultivationmethods,irrigation,and fertigation. ‏ • To increase the efficiency of natural resources: water-use management, better yields with less irrigation, and improving energy and soil efficiency. Agricultural Centers of Excellence ‏ The Centers of Excellence provide a suitable platform for rapid transfer of technology to the farmers.Knowhow and new agricultural technologies such as protected cultivation,drip irrigation and fertigation are demonstrated at the centers with the aimof being adopted by the farmers,to achieve the goal of increasing their yields and productivity and also to improve quality of produce.This can positively impact the income of the farmers andmarket prices, as well as assist in introducing new varieties.