Israel India | Business Guide | 2017

036 > ‏ Agriculture > Cooperation makes it better Israel-India > Business Guide > 2017 Status of Centers of Excellence in India The Israel and India’s bilateral agricultural project includes the establishment of 29 Centers of Excellence benefiting thousands of farmers all across the country. The project is now in its Third Phase, further strengthening and widening the bilateral agricultural development cooperation.It has become a strong sustainable platform for addressing challenges via applicable research and introduction of relevant, innovative Israeli agro-technologies. ‏ As part of the project, Israeli agricultural experts guide Indian teams across 8 States, implementing technologies tailored according to the requirements of Indian farmers. The main characteristic of the model is a “train the trainers”approach.The three main areas of cooperation include nursery,canopy and irrigation management. ‏ The Centers of Excellence are jointly set up according to the requirements and needs of the Indian Government.They address both small and large farm holders thus offering a wide range of agricultural practices - from hi-tech poly-houses to walking tunnels and net houses, in order to enable farmers to benefit from new technologies. During the establishment and operation of the centers, technologies and methods are adapted to local conditions and requirements of the farmers. ‏ The Centers of Excellence are arranged in clusters - vegetables,mangoes,pomegranates and citrus.Each cluster is headed by an Indian expert,who is usually the one who runs the most advanced center in the cluster. ‏ The head of a cluster has a crucial role in ensuring the sustainability of the project,for example:providing professional guidance to other project officers in cultivation,but also by being in charge of every stage during the set-up of new centers (tenders, field preparations,construction,etc.).Together with their counterpart - the Israeli expert - each head of cluster is also responsible for organizing professional seminars and for adapting Israeli technology to existing local needs, which may greatly vary from one center to another. Triangular Approach to Operations of Centers of Excellence in India ‏ The basic concept of the centers is based on a triangular format: Applied Research, Field Extension and the Progressive Farmer. ‏ • Applied Research: Provides solutions to the farmers, such as evaluating local fruits and vegetables varieties to find the best performing solution in the given climatic conditions.Seed production companies are requested to bring their commercial varieties for a comparative test at the center that includes parameters such as yield, quality, and tolerance to diseases. The center will recommend the best performing varieties for use by the farmers. ‏ Another aspect of the applied research is to analyze the efficiency of plant protection products and to adapt advanced technologies to local conditions,pruning periods,fertilization and irrigation.The central andmost important commercial and professional activity of the Centers of Excellence is the production of high-quality, healthy, virus and pest-free saplings and plug seedlings. A high quality seedling is a base for a healthy plant and high yield.The goal is to expose the farmers to the highest quality and to its benefits - so they will demand it from the private nurseries. This process will elevate the quality of the industry of sapling and seedling production. Israeli agriculture expert showing progressive farmers how new methods increase yield Indian farm workers begin to apply modern nursery techniques ‏ • Field Extension: This is the linking element between applied research and the farmers, carried out by government extension officers. The purpose of this important link is double: first,to disseminate the knowledge and second, to make sure that the new technologies are assimilated and implemented by the farmers in the field.This can be seen, for example, in the case of micro-irrigation:the knowledge about the use of technology and hardware will be imparted and demonstrated by training at the centers;later on,the extension officers will follow-up with farmers in the field to see if the technology is being properly utilized and taken care of. ‏ • Progressive Farmers: They are the ones who implement the technologies demonstrated at the centers.They are an important part of the process of transfer of knowledge by setting an example and becoming role models to other farmers. The author is Director Policy Planning & External Relations Department, MASHAV- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel