The first stage of the Indo-Israeli Agricultural Cooperation Project started in 2006 following the signing of a three-year Action Plan based on a Government to Government Agreement. The plan was later on prolonged to include the 2012-2015 period. Within this framework, the State of Israel was requested to share best-practices and knowhow, and provide capacity building through professional training programs to be conducted both in Israel and in India.
To achieve the stated goals of the cooperation agreement, it was decided to establish Agricultural Centers of Excellence. These Centers provide a suitable platform for a rapid transfer of technology to the farmers. This includes demonstration of knowhow and new agricultural technologies such as protected cultivation, drip irrigation and fertigation which will be later adopted by the farmers to increase their yields and income taking into consideration a sustainable use of water, fertilizers and pesticides.
Under the existing Indo-Israel cooperation in agriculture work plan, 30 such Centers of Excellence are in various stages of development in 10 states across India. Proper implementation and adaptation of Israeli technologies has been shown to drastically multiply production and to significantly raise produce quality.
During the inauguration ceremony, Punjab’s Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal stated that this was a historic day for the entire Punjab as a new chapter for the growth and prosperity of the state had been initiated.
Israel’s Ambassador to India, Alon Ushpiz said in his address that the new Center lays the foundations for the prosperity of farmers in the state. He added that the Punjab Center does not only showcase modern agricultural technologies but contributes to strengthening the bilateral ties between Israel and India, which are based on mutual trust and support.
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BADAL: R&D CENTRES ARE TEMPLES OF 2ND GREEN REVOLUTION
Wednesday, 25 December 2013 | PNS | Kartarpur | in Chandigarh
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday termed Centres of Excellence for undertaking Research and Design (R&D) to promote agriculture diversification as ‘Temples of Second Green Revolution’ saying they were required for bailing out the farmers from current agrarian crisis.
Addressing a gathering after inaugurating Centre of Excellence for Vegetable (CEV) here, Badal said that it was a historic day for the entire Punjab as a new chapter for the growth and prosperity of the State has been initiated.
He said that though the farmers of the State had played a vanguard role in making the country self reliant in food production but due to the wrong policies of the Union Government they were on the verge of economic disaster.
Badal said these Centers of Excellence would play a vanguard role not only in saving the already exhausted natural resources of the State but would also be instrumental in ensuring the all-round development of the State and prosperity of its farmers.
He said that the ultra modern techniques used in such centers would acquaint the farmers with the global technology being used in the field of agriculture so as to update their expertise for making sure that they reap maximum profits from the diversification of agriculture.
Recalling the strong ties between Israel and Punjab, the Chief Minister exhorted the Ambassador of Israel Alon Ushpiz to support the State Government for opening more such centers in Punjab so that the farmers could be benefitted from it. Badal said that opening of more such centers in the State would further strengthen the bonds between Israel and Punjab.
In his address, Ambassador of Israel Alon Ushpiz said that the inauguration of this centre was significant because it would lay the foundation of good health of the future generations and prosperity of farmers in the State. “This centre was a result of sheer hard work, commitment and vision of the Government of Punjab and Israel,” added the Ambassador.