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India and Israel Program for Cooperation in Agriculture

Posted on May 25, 2021 by admin1  582

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India and Israel signed a three-year work program for cooperation in Agriculture.

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  • India and Israel have had bilateral relations since 1993 in the agricultural sector. This is the 5th Indo-Israel Agriculture Action Plan (IIAP). 
  • Both India and Israel are implementing the “INDO-ISRAEL Agricultural Project Centres of Excellence” and “INDO-ISRAEL Villages of Excellence”.
  • Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, and MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation – are leading Israel’s largest Government-to-Government cooperation (G2G).
  • The focus during the new work programme (2021-23) will be to convert the villages surrounding the Centres of Excellence (COEs) into Villages of Excellence (VOEs) through massive outreach programmes. 

Centres of Excellence (COEs)

  • There are 29 operational Centres of Excellence (COEs) across India in 12 States under India – Israel Cooperation.
  • The COEs are implementing Advanced-Intensive agriculture farms with Israeli Agro-Technology tailored to local conditions.
  • The COEs generate knowledge, demonstrate best practices and train farmers.
  • Every year, these COEs produce more than 25 million quality vegetable seedlings, more than 387 thousand quality fruit plants and train more than 1.2 lakh farmers about the latest technology in the field of horticulture.
  • The work program will aim to grow existing Centres of Excellence, establish new centers, increase COE’s value chain, bring the COEs into the self-sufficient mode and encourage private sector companies and collaboration.

INDO-ISRAEL Villages of Excellence (VOEs)

  • This is a new concept aimed at creating a model ecosystem in agriculture across eight states, alongside 13 Centers of Excellence within 75 villages. 
  • The program will promote the increase of net income and better the livelihood of the individual farmer, transforming traditional farms into modern-intensive farms based on IIAP standards. 
  • Large-scale and complete value chain approach with economic sustainability, embedded with Israeli novel technologies and methodologies will be tailored to local conditions. 
  • The Indo-Israel VOE program will focus on: 
  • Modern Agriculture infrastructure;
  • Capacity Building;
  • Market linkage.

Significance of the Cooperation

  • Change in agriculture: The agriculture sector always remains a priority for India. This work program will bring definite change in the lives of the farmers and the agriculture sector. 
  • Transformation of the horticulture: These Centers of Excellence established under Indo-Israel Agriculture Action Plan (IIAP) have become epicentres of transformation in the horticulture sector. 
  • Increasing Farmers Income: The Centres of Excellence (COEs) established under these Israeli-based action plans are playing an important role in doubling farmers’ income which is the determination of the government of India. 
  • Enhancing productivity: The exchange of technology between India and Israel will greatly improve the productivity and quality of horticulture, thereby increasing the income of farmers.
  • Strengthening Bilateral Relations: This new work programme will further strengthen the bilateral relations and mutual cooperation between the two countries in the field of agriculture for the benefit of the farming community. 

Conclusion

  • Taking forward the ever-growing partnership in agriculture between Israel and India, the two governments have agreed to enhance their cooperation in agriculture while recognizing the centrality of agriculture and water sectors in the bilateral relationship.
  • The three-year work program (2021-2023) will benefit local farmers both through the Centers of Excellence and the Villages of Excellence.
  • Overall, the work program 2021-2023 will strengthen India-Israel bilateral relationship.

Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)

  • It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables, root & tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa and bamboo.
  • MIDH is implemented under Green Revolution – Krishonnati Yojana. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is implementing it with effect from 2014-15.
  • Under MIDH, Government of India (GOI) contributes 60% of total outlay for developmental programmes in all the states except states in North East and Himalayas, 40% share is contributed by State Governments. In the case of North Eastern States and Himalayan States, GOI contributes 90%.
  • In the case of National Horticulture Board (NHB), Coconut Development Board (CDB), Central Institute for Horticulture (CIH), Nagaland and the National Level Agencies (NLA), GOI contributes 100%.
  • It also provides technical support and advice to state horticultural missions, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Saffron Mission and the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).

India-Israel Relations

Political Relations

  • India announced its recognition of Israel on September 17, 1950.
  • Full diplomatic relations were established in 1992.
  • Since the upgradation of relations in 1992, defence and agriculture formed the two main pillars of bilateral engagement.
  • Political ties between the two countries are friendly.

Commercial Relations

  • From US$ 200 million in 1992 (comprising primarily trade in diamonds), bilateral merchandise trade stood at US$ 5.65 billion (excluding defence) in 2018-19, with the balance of trade being in India’s favour by US$ 1.8 billion. 
  • In recent years, bilateral trade has diversified into several sectors such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, IT and telecom and homeland security.

Agriculture

  • India has benefited from Israeli expertise and technologies in horticulture mechanization, protected cultivation, orchard and canopy management, nursery management, micro- irrigation and post-harvest management particularly in Haryana and Maharashtra. 
  • Israeli drip irrigation technologies and products are now widely used in India. Some Israeli companies and experts are providing expertise to manage and improve dairy farming in India through their expertise in high milk yield.

Defence & Security 

  • India imports critical defence technologies from Israel. 
  • There are regular exchanges between the armed forces. 
  • There is cooperation on security issues, including a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. 
  • India and Israel signed three important agreements on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, Cooperation in Homeland Security, and Protection of Classified Material.
  • Since 2015, IPS officer trainees have been visiting the Israel National Police Academy every year for a one-week long foreign exposure training at the end of their training in the National Police Academy, Hyderabad.
  • The Army has decided to order launchers, Spike Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) and additional Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), from Israel through the emergency procurement route.

Cooperation in S&T and Space

  • India-Israel Industrial R&D and Innovation Fund (I4F) by the Department of Science and Technology, India and the National Authority for Technological Innovation, Israel. This fund, with a contribution of $ 20 million from each side over 5 years, is expected to play an important role in enabling Indian and Israeli enterprises to undertake joint R&D projects.

Culture & Tourism

  • India is known in Israel as an ancient nation with strong cultural traditions.
  • In popular Israeli perception, India is an attractive, alternative tourist destination. 
  • Israeli youth are particularly attracted to India. 

Indian Diaspora

  • There are approximately 85,000 Jews of Indian-origin in Israel (with at least one Indian parent), who are all Israeli passport holders. 
  • The majority is from Maharashtra (Bene Israelis) and relatively smaller numbers from Kerala (Cochini Jews) and Kolkata (Baghdadi Jews). 
  • In recent years some Indian Jews from North Eastern states of India (Bnei Menashe) have been immigrating to Israel. 

Image Courtesy: BBC

Source: PIB

 
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